England under King John’s reign was a very dangerous place to be an orphaned heiress. Married off aged 14 to a stranger, Constance was grateful when her husband immediately departed for France to fight John’s battles for territory there. Now five years later, Matthew Wintour is back, and has come to claim his bride from the home of her uncle, where’s she’s been living with her cousins while she waits.
Five years has given Constance time to not only grow up, but to get plenty mad about the high-handed way her husband ordered her out of her own home like so much chattel. He makes a pretty bad first impression, but she’s predisposed to take offence, and soon realises maybe he’s not so bad. When Matthew takes her to the imposing Wintercott Castle and she meets his overbearing, tyrannical father, she soon realises that maybe her husband had good reason for his choices. Matthew’s still keeping secrets, though, dangerous ones in the time of a vengeful king, and Constance may come to regret giving him her heart.
Jenni Fletcher really knows her stuff about this time period, and the story is interwoven with just enough historical facts to make it plausible. Both Constance and Matthew have to face unpalatable choices and make the best of them, and they’re lucky enough to find love together despite it all.
If you like Middle Ages romance, particularly set against the background of conflict that marked John Lackland’s reign, this is definitely one you’ll enjoy. Five stars for a great read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review via Rachel’s Random Resources.
Author Bio – Jenni Fletcher is Scottish by birth, but now lives in Yorkshire where she writes Medieval, Roman, Victorian and Regency romance novels. She studied English at Cambridge and Hull University and now teaches Creative Writing at a small university in the north of England. Her favourite Jane Austen novel is Persuasion and her favourite Brontë is Anne. If she had to choose a romantic hero it would be John Thornton, but maybe that’s just because she’s northern.
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