Georgia Fox has written one of the hottest novella's I have read in awhile. This story has no paranormal elements, it's a love story.It fits the historical period and attitudes. Wulf is a simple man and former Saxon slave/hostage. The King liked him and gave him his freedom with the added bonus of an arranged marriage that he doesn't want. The Bride, a Norman named Emma is a widow who understands all she can offer is duty not love. Both characters come to the marriage with the wrong attitude but soon the sparks fly. There is every manner of naughty goings-on in that bedchamber and a few other places.I loved this couple and the way they communicated. I laughed out loud many times and almost blushed a few times too. Wulf was so rough around the edges that I cringed more than once when he bluntly spoke his mind. He had no edit button on his words. Emma was no wilting flower and was full of unexpected depth. Wulf had been a virgin that quickly discovered that the sex thing offered opportunities for more than fulfilling a husbandly duty. Oh yeah, he got bit hard by the love bug.Erotica fans will enjoy everything about this story. It's not very expensive in ebook format. I will read more of Ms. Fox for certain. Taken prisoner at age 14 by the armies of William the Conqueror, Raedwulf of Wexford had spent over half his life in captivity. Now, through the assistance of his sister and her new husband, Guy Devaux, Raedwulf is freed with the caveat that he would wed a Norman bride three days after arriving home. Wulf (as he was now called) was really an artisan who loved working with wood. He wasn't interested in political gain or rebelling against the Normans who now held power in England. He just wanted to be free to pursue his craft, enjoy his freedom, and get on with a quiet life. Yet when his bride arrived--a widow whose appearance surprisingly captured his attention and interest, Wulf began to realize that there were some pleasures to be had that had long been denied him. This third story in Ms Fox's trilogy furthers the stories of this brother and sister whose inheritance had been stolen by the conquering forces, whose future would be inevitably linked to the Norman interests in that part of England, and who somehow had to come to peace with their own hurts and old prejudices. It is a story of love that grows quietly and very erotically, of a man who "keeps his own counsel" and who is willing to be led into the pleasures of the marriage bed by a woman who knows more about it than he does. This story is well-written and beautifully researched, and is very much rooted in the politics and social norms of that period. There are also some surprises that, while they may seem to be created by the author, were far more common in that day than contemporary readers may realize. There are also tidbits of the continuing characters and how their lives are moving on while Wulf and Emma are finding their stride as a married couple. A very good novel and one that certainly captured my interest. As an Anglophile, this was right up my alley.
What do You think about The Craftsman (2000)?
So good, very naughty. One of my favorites from this author. I've read all of her books.
—Kadybear29
m/m was mentioned but not too much detail- it was still a sexfest
—adelabuabiola
Other than a rushed ending, quite good
—summermegs
