Customer Reviews

Lord of my Heart

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To save her barony from ruin, Madeleine de la Haute Vironge must wed one of a trio of lords offered by King William. A shocking twist of fate impels the convent-bred beauty into the arms of the most dangerous of the three-a magnificent, exciting stranger Madeleine desires...but also fears.

Torn between familial loyalties and devotion to his king, handsome Aimery de Gaillard prowls the forest as the Golden Hart, devoted to helping the common English folk. But the beautiful young heiress he is honor bound to marry suspects his secret, threatening his cause and his life. Yet his noble heart, hardened by mistrust, aches with passion for Madeline's sensuous innocence-entreating the daring outlaw to surrender to the glory, the rapture...and the peril of love.

This story, set in 1060s England is a seamless blend of romance, history, and passion. Normandy has invaded the English and the land is in turmoil. Aimery de Gaillard, half English and half Norman, help aid the English peasants under the thumb of Norman overlords and becomes known as "Golden Hart". He's distinguishable by markings on his hand, though he tries desperately to disguise himself at all times. He comes upon Madeleine de la Haute Vironge in the woods. She was caught looking upon him as he bathed and he seeks to teach her a lesson. Speaking English he tells her what he would do to her, though she doesn't understand a word. This first meeting lays the foundation of their very passionate, sensual relationship.
When the King decides to give Madeline a choice of 3 men she may choose to marry and Aimery is one of them she finds once again she is drawn to him. Though this time not as Golden Hart, but as the King's favored choice. Aimery warns her not to choose him, because to do so would expose him as Golden Hart and a traitor of the crown. For circumstances I will not reveal in this review, she does choose him and they marry much to the delight of the reader. It doesn't end there so hold onto your seats!

This story is a masterpiece. Not only is it set in one of my favorite time periods, the dark and turbulent early 1060s, but it is does not hold back. Jo Beverly serves up a heavy weight punch and this book is a classic.

This is another example of the difference in my taste for romance & that of a large number of others. JB, as usual, wrote a wonderful story rich in history. I realise that thousands of people would really love this story. Alas, it's not my kind of love story.
The story was set in 1068 during the invasion of England by William ...of Normandy. It is a romance but the story is full of war, betrayal, & the horrible realistic everyday life of the people that lived during that time. I don't care to read about that much realism... I'm one of those that want to escape from those type of horrible realities - not into them. Reading about mutilation & inhumane punishments are just not my cup of tea. Unfortunately, I picked this up after reading her Malloren series & was unpleasantly surprised.
Another thing that wasn't to my taste was the often told story of mistrust between the hero & heroine. They met, fell in love (& lust of course) - the great misunderstandings took place & they alternated between lust & turning cold shoulders to each other - almost til the end of the story. I got really disgusted with both of them - often!
Anyway, JB is definitely a great author - however, I will have to be more careful of her books that I choose to read; I was sad & sickened by the reality of those times through-out almost all of this book. But, I do want to stress that those of you that like a well written story rich in history (and can handle brutality) may very well love this story

Courtesy of A Romance Review

Lord of My Heart, the first historical romance of Jo Beverley, is set in 1068, two years after the Battle of Hastings. With this magical and historical background, Ms Beverley has created a wonderful tale with two unforgettable characters. Once again, Ms Beverley proves to be an excellent storyteller and Lord of My Heart is surely one of her best historical novel. A must read no matter you are a fan of historical romance or a new romance lover.

Judging from her earlier books, it is no wonder why romance maestro Jo Beverley is a 5-time winner of the coveted RITA and Lord of My Heart is yet another classic even if it lacks the heartening fun and audacity of My Lady Notorious.

It isn't a just comparison of course when the serious Lord Of My Heart is set in the pagaentry and chaos in the time era of 1065 Normandy where Norman conqueror William the Bastard ousted the Earl of Sussex to lay territorial claims on England after King Edward's demise. There lies the conflict of half Saxon-half Norman Aimery de Gaillard who pledges fealty to William but acknowledges his fraternity with English rebel Hereward. Aimery is torn between loyalty when he secretly and unwittingly helps the English populace as his disguised alter-ego Golden Hart battle injustices inflicted by powerful Norman landlords like Madeline de la Haute Vironge's uncle who rules Badderley with tyranny.

Madeline has to wed a lord to remove her uncle from her estate - and with a twist of fate she ends up choosing Aimery. Yet trust eludes them when Madeline fears that Aimery is a treasonous traitor and Aimery grips with rumors of Madeline's cruel facade behind her beguiling innocence.

Rich with historical details and majestic in its scope of war, betrayal and treachery, Lord Of My Heart sweeps the readers away with the period and embellishes it with a heartfelt romance that sparkles with wits and sensual delights. The clash of honours, familial ties and love evoke a powerful drama to rival the ferocious intensity of the swashbuckling extravaganza.