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Historical Romance Review: Siren Song by Roberta Gellis

historical romance review
Siren Song by Roberta Gellis
Rating: four-stars
Published: 1980
Illustrator: Enric Torres-Pratt
Book Series: Medical Song Trilogy #1/Royal Dynasty #1
Published by: Jove, Playboy Press
Genres: Historical Romance, Medieval Romance
Pages: 398
Format: Paperback, eBook
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader


Historical Romance Review: Siren Song by Roberta Gellis

MILD SPOILERS 😉

The Book

The first book in Roberta GellisMedieval Song trilogy, Siren Song, takes us to 13th-century England.

siren song gellis ebook

Lady Elizabeth

Lady Elizabeth is not a beauty, but she is intelligent, capable, and now heiress to vast lands, with her brothers and father recently deceased.

Elizabeth is married to Mauger, a cruel, murderous lord who wishes for nothing more than to aggrandize himself by whatever means necessary. Mauger has the looks of an angel yet the disposition of a demon. There is no deed too vile for him, as he eagerly breaks every Commandment.

It is no mere coincidence that Elizabeth’s brothers conveniently died, leaving her, and thus Mauger, quite wealthy.

Years ago, Elizabeth had been in love with Sir William of Marlowe, and he was with her. But parental manipulations led to them being forced to wed others. Now, William is a widower with a daughter of soon-to-be marriageable age.

Mauger has eyes on Marlowe and seeks to wed his and Elizabeth’s eldest son, Aubrey, to William’s daughter, Alys. Once the two are married, Mauger has plans for William’s untimely demise.

Sir William

Sir William is a widower of many years and seeks only one thing: to be near to Elizabeth again. She is the only woman he has ever loved. William will do whatever it takes to be with her.

And so he pursues the married Elizabeth, even though it may cost him his life.

Adultery is a cardinal sin in the Church. During the Middle Ages, a woman risked more than just her soul if she committed such an act, no matter what mitigating factors surrounded it.

Thus, it does not matter that Mauger openly flouts his leman in front of his wife, having her reside in their manor acting like a second wife.

Nor does it matter that their parents tricked Elizabeth and William into believing that each had betrayed the other, wedding other people under false circumstances. Evil as Mauger may be, he is Elizabeth’s husband.

William is a wonderful hero in pursuit of his beloved. He’s no dummy, but Elizabeth is his blind spot.

While Elizabeth is dismissed as a mouse by her husband, she is actually a woman of strength and deep and abiding passions.

She and William become lovers and engage in several lusty, furtive love-making sessions, marked by Gellis’s standard earthiness.

As there is only one way Elizabeth and William can be together, the end comes to a satisfyingly violent conclusion.

siren song enric torres pratt
Original Artwork for Siren’s Song, Enric Torres-Pratt cover art

Final Analysis of Siren Song 

Siren Song had the other major hallmark of Roberta Gellis’ work, a healthy heaping of history.

Yet, it was in no way bogged down by dull recitations of facts and events, like some other Roberta Gellis medievals like Fires of Winter.

The characters were true to their time period in both beliefs and actions. The romance was passionate and convincing.

Mauger was perhaps a bit extreme in his evil, but his wickedness is a huge plot point for Book 3 of the series, Aubrey’s story, Fire Song, which is one of my all-time most beloved romances. Unfortunately, Siren Song doesn’t quite reach those heights for me.

Nevertheless, Siren Song is an entertaining love story that I would heartily recommend to anyone who enjoys authentic history in a historical romance.

Rating Report Card
Plot
4
Characters
4.5
Writing
4
Chemistry
4.5
Fun Factor
4
Cover
4
Overall: 4.2

Synopsis

First in the Royal Dynasty series. William of Marlowe and Elizabeth of Hurley loved each other from childhood and swore to marry no other. Their fathers had more practical and profitable intentions. William was told Elizabeth had gone to Ilmer to be married to Mauger and in his pain and rage took Mary of Bix to wife. Elizabeth, who had withstood starvation and beatings, yielded at last when a priest swore to her William had married Mary. But Mauger had taken Elizabeth for more than her moderate dowry.

Soon her brothers were both dead and Elizabeth was heir to her father’s lands. When Elizabeth’s father died, Mauger moved his family to Hurley. And when he saw the rich lands of Marlowe across the river, he decided to marry his son to William’s daughter, be rid of William, and have Marlowe too. William should have seen through Mauger’s false front, but his heart and mind were paralyzed by the horrible thought of Elizabeth in Mauger’s arms. And he nearly, so nearly, also became Mauger’s victim.

SIREN SONG by ROBERTA GELLIS
firs of winter gellis

Historical Romance Review: Fires of Winter by Roberta Gellis

historical romance review
Fires of Winter by Roberta Gellis
Rating: three-stars
Published: 1987
Illustrator: Pino
Book Series: Tales of Jernaeve #2
Published by: Jove
Genres: Historical Romance, Medieval Romance
Pages: 487
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader


Historical Romance Review: Fires of Winter by Roberta Gellis

MILD SPOILERS 😉

The Book

Told through alternating first-person perspectives, Roberta Gellis‘s medieval romance Fires of Winter starts with a bang.

The Plot

In the first chapter, we experience the hero, Bruno, of Jernaeve’s life as his castle gets invaded.

As an illegitimate child, he is overlooked and left uncared for. He and his sister must hide from the marauders.

Later, it switches to the heroine Mellusine of Ulle’s more calm point of view as a child.

I enjoyed the different perspectives, although I found Bruno’s side more interesting than Mellusine’s.

As Bruno matures, he becomes a master in the arts of war. His success earns him Melusine, a “spoil of war,” for Bruno to wed. Bruno is loyal to King Stephen, and Melusine threatens the king.

Despite their differences, Mellusine and Bruno forge a strong relationship built on sexual attraction, companionship, and trust.

Earthy Medieval Realism

I loved the authentic earthiness Gellis imbued her works with. I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance where the heroine has to take a dump before. Here Melusine squats away without a care in front of the hero.

The love scenes between Bruno and Melusine had Gellis’ trademark frankness. There’s a scene where a third party in their relationship makes an appearance. 

“I do not pretend that I do not desire you, Melusine…But you need not fear I will force you either. I am the master of Monsieur Jehan de la Tete Rouge–” I tapped the redhead that had pushed its way through the foreskin so she could not mistake of what I spoke, “–not he of me.'”

That had me giggling.

Historical Fiction, Not Romance

At 60% through the book, the romance is firmly cemented. Alas, here, the adventures become strictly political. At a certain point, Fires of Winter ceased to be historical romantic fiction and became purely historical.

Bruno spends much of his time away fighting for his king, while Mellusine tends to courtly and domestic affairs.

Lady Mellusine and Queen Matilda rally an army to rescue their husbands. They succeed, displaying that if need be, powerful medieval women were up to the task of warfare just as their men were.

The tale concludes happily with Mellusine and Bruno making babies and farming their lands.

Final Analysis of Fires of Winter

Fires of Winter is heavy on detailed history. Gellis is a master storyteller, at least when she remembers to tell the story instead of reciting history.

However, I felt a tad underwhelmed, despite the fine quality of the writing. A great start fizzled out to a merely satisfactory read.

I would have preferred more lines like:

“I had a long row to hoe before I could plunge my spade into Mellusine’s earth and plant a seed there.”

…Than the endless parade of dates of conquests and battles.

I’ve enjoyed several of Roberta Gellis’s works, knowing that she is heavy on history and it was never a negative aspect. There was a wonderful romance during the first half of Fires of Winter. Gellis forgot about the love story on the back end.

I would recommend this piece of historical fiction for lovers of medieval romances that emphasize the medieval aspect, not necessarily the romance.

3.24 Stars

Rating Report Card
Plot
3.5
Characters
3.5
Writing
3.5
Chemistry
4
Fun Factor
3
Cover
3.5
Overall: 3.5

Synopsis

A sparkling prize, the beautiful Mellusine of Ulle is awarded to the bastard-born Bruno of Jernaeve as a spoil of war. Bruno vows to tame the rebellious spirit of the captive beauty, but ultimately surrenders to her charms. Born of different worlds, joined in the flames of passion and intrigue, they find new strength in each other’s arms…and a burning love that defies all eternity.”

Fires of Winter by Roberta Gellis