This was a new author for me. Castles in the Air was also different to me because it was set in a time period I have never read before. It was just after the Crusades. I found it interesting to read something from that time period.I did enjoy this romance story. Juliana is told by the king that she has to marry Lord Avrache. She does not consent nor does she go to the king when she is summoned for the wedding. She has a past she is hiding as does Lord Raymond Avrache.The way they met was when Juliana is heading back to her castle when this stranger grabs her and forces her into a hut to get her out of the snow storm. She thinks she is being kidnapped and going to be forced to do sleep with this man. She doesn't know that he is her betrothed and he doesn't reveal his true identity either. She believes he is the King's Master Castle Builder.When she does learn of his true identity she doesn't know how to feel at first. This man hasn't treated her like the most other men. You can see the love growing between them even though they both deny it.
I bought this book at the store for the single reason that the first line says, "She had all her teeth."I thought for sure I would like this book and hoped to love it. First of all it takes place in England in the 1100's. Some of my favorite books that I've read take place during that time, but by a different author. Also, I loved the first sentence of the book (see above). A book starting out that way has to be great, right? Wrong!!I found this book to be too wordy and there was too much going on in the story and too many references to "secrets" and things the reader had no clue on. It was not easy to follow and the physical tension between the h/h was no good at all. The love scenes were summed up and it just was not rewarding at all.I suppose I should give this author another shot, but not any time soon. I need a book that has wording that makes sense and a storyline that I can follow. Oh well, can't love them all. :(
England - 1166 - Henry and Eleanor, France and England - trying to unite under one king... the failing crusades... knights and knight's codes.Lady Juliana of Lofts, only heir of her father, a father who loved her, but he was a weak man and easily manipuled by his half bastard brother,Joseph, who functioned as the head man-at-arms... she was wedded to a weakling (gaining another estate for her father) - bore 2 children and he died. Joseph decided she should marry Felix, a weak nobleman, and engin
—Kathy
3,5 starsAku tahu ini kelanjutan dari buku Dodd yang udah aku beli tapi baik Raymond atau Juliana, tidak ada yang teringat di otakku.Well, cerita yang agak serem dengan konflik yang seperti itu--banyaknya yang terbunuh, tapi itu benar-benar tampaknya seperti apa yang akan terjadi di abad pertengahan. Bukan setting-nya historical tapi rasanya ceritanya tidak akan ada bila betul-betul terjadi.Well, walau Raymond diceritakan seorang ksatria tangguh dan lainnya, rasanya kurang sreg kalau dia di akhir cerita malah 'bersembunyi' di balik tong. Aku tahu maksud dari gerakan itu agar si heroine-nya bisa menunjukkan bahwa dia itu juga berani... Tapi rasanya kocak ngebayangin sosok yang diceritakan dengan tubuh yang besar dan pundak yang lebar, haru mengamankan wajahnya saat ia mengaku.Dan menurutku, walau masih dapat diikuti, tapi rasanya dialog 2 arah antar tokoh pada panjang-panjang--walau aku tetap membaca dan menikmatinya, hanya tidak terlena saja. You know what I mean...Well, lumayan deh sama buku ini (walau that scene totally kurang!).
—Red
Just started reading this and heard waasa good author havent picked up a book for awhile and not a historical for ages but good so far obn started last night (05/09)
—Rachael
