TEST
Likable hero Graeham Fox has come to London to secretly retrieve his lord’s illegitimate daughter, Ada, from her abusive husband, Rolf le Fever. Le Fever, a silk merchant, thought he was marrying a lady whose name would add to his prestige, and when he found out Ada was not as represented, he became furious, treating Ada so badly that she wrote to her father. He’s now sent Graeham, his most trusted soldier, to retrieve the young woman. What’s in it for bastard-born, landless Graeham? The hand of Phillipa, Ada’s beautiful twin sister, and land and wealth of his own.
When Graeham presents himself to Ada’s husband, Rolf is less than pleased to see her go, but tells Graeham to return later to pick her up. Before he gets there, Graeham is assaulted by three thugs who steal his horse and money pouch, and break his leg. But before they can do him in completely, handsome and dashing Hugh of Wexford comes to his aid and saves his life (sigh). Dashing Hugh’s widowed sister lives just down the street, so Hugh takes Graeham to her and sends for the surgeon to set Graeham’s leg.
Joanna Chapman, born a lady yet wed to a faithless charmer named Prewitt, is on her own. Since Prewitt was killed in another woman’s bed by the woman’s husband, Joanna’s life has been a struggle to survive. She doesn’t want to take any money from her brother, and cannot go home to the father who disinherited her when she chose Prewitt over the man to whom her father had betrothed her. When Graeham offers to pay Joanna to stay in her storeroom for the two months it will take him to heal, she agrees.
As luck would have it, Joanna’s storeroom window is the perfect vantage point from which Graeham can watch Rolf le Fever’s house, and try and determine what has happened to the reclusive Ada. And, as luck would have it, Graeham starts having horny thoughts about Joanna from the moment he sees her. Of course, this throws him into conflict: she’s a married woman (he thinks), plus, he’s as good as betrothed to the beautiful Phillipa (whom he has never met). The illicit thoughts Joanna has for Graham are no better, and she decides to keep up the front that she is a married woman whose husband is away, in order to keep Graeham in the storeroom and out of her bed.
This is a good book. You’ll like it. I liked it. The author has steeped the story in medieval London life and has created two characters you just know are meant for each other. Graeham is handsome, strong, smart, and sympathetic. He’s a warrior, but he is a kind and thoughtful man who truly wants to do the right thing, even if he has to lie a little to get to his goal (but he feels just awful! about it). Joanna is independent, smart, caring, and not about to let herself be taken advantage of the way Prewitt had done. Joanna’s remembered confrontation with her husband is one of the best scenes in the book, and exemplifies Joanna’s strength of character perfectly.
The pace of the book seemed a little slow in places, and there were several anachronistic terms that really jolted me out of the story (and that spoiled the medieval world the author had created). For example, “sex” wasn’t called sex until the mid-twentieth century, yet Graeham talks about how they “had sex.” Also, an uneducated and rather simplistic undersheriff threatens a criminal with “deadly force,” a term which didn’t come into existence until the 1960’s or so. Because such anachronisms pull me out of the story, I’m always a bit disappointed to find them in such an otherwise perfectly created world.
The secondary characters are very nice: the lovestruck yet honorable Robert and Margaret, Hugh (he will be getting his own story, won’t he please, Ms. Ryan?), and especially the heartbreakingly sympathetic Thomas the leper. And one mustn’t forget Manfrid, the arrogant and fluffy-tummied tom-cat. If the ending is a little too pat, well, that’s okay, I didn’t really mind. This book just missed being a keeper for me, but it might find its way to your own keeper self. It’s an enjoyable read filled with complex characters, humor, and a wonderful hero and heroine. I recommend you wind yourself around these Silken Threads.
Grade: B+
Book Type: Medieval Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 23/05/99
Publication Date: 1999
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.