medieval romance Archives

Historical Romance Review: Defy Not the Heart by Johanna Lindsey

March 16, 2022May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Defy Not the Heart is a favorite of mine. It's a wonderful, funny, and romantic medieval historical romance by the late, great Johanna Lindsey. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Avon, Book Review, Elaine Duillo, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Johanna Lindsey, year 1989

Historical Romance Review: The King’s Pleasure by Shannon Drake

November 2, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Shannon's Drake's (aka Heather Graham) The King's Pleasure is set amid the intense medieval backdrop of the Hundred Years' War and the Black Death. It's a solid romance in a historical age that always grips my attention. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Book Review, Franco, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Romance, Zebra Historical Romance

Historical Romance Review: Hearts of Fire by Anita Mills

September 19, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Hearts of Fire is a more satisfying sequel to the first installment of Anita Mills' medieval romance series, Lady of Fire, than its second outing, Fire and Steel was. The forbidden romance between Richard and Gilliane de Lacey is stellar. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Gregg Gulbronson, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Onyx, Romance

Historical Romance Review: An Offer of Marriage by Jo Ann Ferguson Review

September 10, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader 3 Comments

Books like Jo Ann Ferguson’s An Offer of Marriage suffer from being published during a time of change. When Kensington’s Zebra historical romances died, they didn’t go quickly (actually, Zebras are still around, but they’re not the same as they used to be in the 1980s and 1990s). 1 star Read more

1 star, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Romance, Zebra Precious Gem Historical

Historical Romance Review: So Speaks the Heart by Johanna Lindsey

July 17, 2021May 28, 2022 IntrovertReader 3 Comments

It's fair to compare So Speaks the Heart (which should be subtitled: Medieval Norman Psychopath Falls for French Co-Dependent and Fellow Anger Management Classmate) to another of Johanna Lindsey's works, A Pirate's Love, which had a similar captor/captive trope. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Avon, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Johanna Lindsey, Robert McGinnis

Historical Romance Review: Sea Jewel by Penelope Neri

June 30, 2021May 21, 2022 Blue Falcon 2 Comments

After deliberation, I decided to give Sea Jewel by Penelope Neri five stars, although I do so with some high degree of reluctance. The explanation why follows. Read more

5 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Pino, Romance, Zebra Lovegram

Historical Romance Review: Blood Red Roses by Katherine Deauxville

June 15, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader 4 Comments

Blood Red Roses is understandably a difficult book for some to enjoy. It could be nostalgia goggles on this one for me, plus a love for the glorious red stepback cover. Or it could be the vivid Middle Ages setting, my favorite time period. I read this Medieval romance by Katherine Deauxville (Maggie Davis) twice: once in middle school and then years later in high school, and was swept away in the story both times. 5 stars Read more

Book Review, Historical Romance Review, Romance, year 1991

Historical Romance Review: Siren Song by Roberta Gellis

May 30, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Siren Song, the first in Roberta Gellis' Medieval Song trilogy, takes us to 13th century England. 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. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Romance

Historical Romance Review: Fires of Winter by Roberta Gellis

May 26, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Told through alternating first-person perspectives, Roberta Gellis's Fires of Winter starts with a bang but ends with a whimper. 3 stars Read more

3 stars, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Jove/ Pyramid, Pino, Roberta Gellis, Romance

Historical Romance Review: Uncommon Vows by Mary Jo Putney

May 24, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

I've read Mary Jo Putney's Uncommon Vows several times and have always loved this passionate medieval story about obsessive love. Read more

5 stars, Book Review, Gregg Gulbronson, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, New American Library, Onyx, year 1991

Historical Romance Review: Lovespell by Deana James

May 23, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Lovespell is yet another great romance by the eclectic Deana James. Gillian is an English fletcher who poses as twins, the male Gil & female Gillian. 4 1/2 stars Read more

4 stars and a half, Book Review, Deana James, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Pino, Romance, year 1984, Zebra Historical Romance

Historical Romance Review: Lady of Fire by Anita Mills

May 18, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

The action-packed and romantic medieval Lady of Fire by Anita Mills features one of the greatest villains ever in a historical romance novel. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Gregg Gulbronson, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, New American Library, Onyx, year 1987

Historical Romance Review: Highland Velvet by Jude Deveraux

May 17, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Highland Velvet by Jude Deveraux is the second in the Montgomery brothers series featuring a Highland lass forced to wed Stephen Montgomery. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Book Review, Harry Bennett, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Jude Deveraux, Pocket Books, year 1982

Historical Romance Review: Enchantress Mine by Bertrice Small

May 5, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Despite some crazy scenes, the Bertrice Small Medieval Romance, Enchantress Mine, suffers from a too-perfect heroine and a dull hero. 2 1 /2 stars Read more

2 stars and a half, Bertrice Small, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Elaine Duillo, Erotic Historical Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Romance, Signet

Historical Romance Review: Storm Maiden by Mary Gilgannon

April 30, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Mary Gilgannon's Storm Maiden is a Viking historical romance novel about a captor and his captive set in medieval Ireland & Norway. It features a strong heroine, but the injured hero is too beta for my tastes. A 2 1/2 star read. Read more

2 stars and a half, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Pinnacle

Historical Romance Review: Winter’s Heat by Denise Domning

April 20, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

A medieval romance that takes medieval life seriously is usually one I enjoy, but Denise Domning's Winter's Heat fell a bit flat for me. 2.5 stars Read more

2 stars and a half, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, John Ennis, Topaz

Historical Romance Review: To Touch the Sun by Barbara Leigh

April 19, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

To Touch the Sun is an older Harlequin Historical by Barbara Leigh. This is the unique tale about a woman in Medieval England who is raised alongside her brother as a boy and eventually becomes a knight. Read more

4 stars, Book Review, Harlequin, Harlequin Historical, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, year 1991

Historical Romance Review: Tara’s Song by Barbara Ferry Johnson

April 14, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Tara’s Song by Barbara Ferry Johnson is yet another middling Viking romance that disappoints. Written in the late ’70s at the height of the bodice ripper era, you’d expect this Viking romance to rapacious and fun, but I found it rather ho-hum. 2 stars Read more

2 stars, Avon, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review

Historical Romance Review: Viking Rose by Ashland Price

April 9, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

In this Zebra Lovegram historical romance, Viking Rose by Ashland Price, Irishwoman Alanna is taken captive by a Viking. Read more

1 star, Book Review, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review, Kensington, Pino, Zebra Lovegram

Historical Romance Review: The Innocent by Bertrice Small

April 9, 2021May 21, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

It was a bad sign that Bertrice Small’s The Innocent features one of her dullest covers ever. The lone positive was that it was designed as one last created by legendary artist Elaine Duillo for her dear friend Bertrice. 1 star Read more

1 star, Ballantine, Bertrice Small, Book Review, Elaine Duillo, Erotic Historical Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Romance Review

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