So there are technically two romances, as Part 1 is with William and Part 2 with Simon. That's why I tagged "dual romance". I think Simon was the right one for her, partially because he wasn't WAY older than her, but also because of their personalities. Virginia Henley had the task of making William likable but not TOO amazing that we would be devastated when he died.
I feel like Simon and Eleanor could have known each other better before they slept together and were together de facto. Part 1 has more of the history, but I wouldn't call this just a historical romance I'm kinda disappointed with the end. I was surprised that I had reached the end! What I noticed is that Virginia Henley didn't put in the Author's Note that actually, surprise surprise!! If this book had not been based on real people, I would have been very upset with the ending because we never found out what happened: it ends on a sort of cliffhanger.
Luckily, it is based on history so I can look up what happens, otherwise, I'd be very sad. This the very end: She closed her eyes and lifted her mouth to him. His kiss was so tender it filled her with awe. That's it? How do we know if he's successful or not?!! If he'll be king?!
Thank god it's history and I can look it up again! I might have been nice and given this 4 stars had it not been for the ending! If only Simon could have been king I'm hoping that I have some great Virginia Henley books in my future to look forward to another 5 star please?! I want to read all her books lol. I'm a fan Dec 01, Carolina rated it it was amazing. Really great read. I have my nitpicks of course as it happens with every historical fiction and romance, none is exempt.
I became very passionate about the Provencal sisters and before that, the Plantagenets starting of course with their founder in , Henry II and his ambitious but independent wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of said land and Countess of Poiters in her own right. My favorite being the first for such extensive use of sources and footnotes. Going on, after reading fiction of Perinot's "Sister Queens" then Four Sisters, All Queens by Sherri Jones, I went on to read Sisters of Provence by Nancy Goldstone, not a fiction but a biography of the four sisters who wed into royalty and at one point became Queens.
Despite wanting to favor his half siblings and keep everyone happy, as someone would say "the good you do often does not do you very good" and in Henry's case as shown in this magnificent historical romance, it is very true! Henry III was very much in need of approval and this was shaped from being thrust into the throne, albeit having men to rule for him during his minority, so young and having a mother who left him and his siblings.
He was not ready for that responsibility. Then comes Eleanor of Provence, a wife who is independent and strong woman but who like his grandmother has ambitious of her own. At the heart of the story are Henley's two main characters, also real people; Henry's sister -Eleanor Plantagenet and Simon de Montfort.
Their romance is well written, hot, steamy. Everything you want in a spicy romance, their depictions are flawed, very human, they are not perfect. They each have strengths and weaknesses that aid and also set them back. This makes the characters more real and brings these real people back to life. However, as far as the characterization of the Provencals, mainly Eleanor of Provence I have to disagree. While she was vain and very detached from the people, and ambitious no doubt, she was also a loving partner of Henry III, and very close to her sisters.
She could be very charismatic and was Henry III's inner strength through the hard years of facing enemies. Most of the rumors and slander against her was because she was a foreigner, and while Eleanor did make mistakes with her extravagance as did Henry; she was nevertheless one of the backbones in Henry's life. Had it not been for her going to France where her sister, Marguerite was Queen and asked her for aid to help her husband against the rebels.
She was very close to her older sister, very devoted to family in times of need. Despite this though, the novel still stands out as it depicts a well written love story, it does not white-wash the brutality and politics of the time when politics and sex were very linked together. Virginia Henley writes beautiful descriptions of the fashions, the food and other living components of the time. A book I highly recommend. This book was not that good. The purple prose smut scenes were hilarious. The hero was such a creep to me.
Henley placed such an emphasis on the hero's larger body size etc in comparison to Eleanor's youth and petiteness. Big age differences and body sizes don't usually bother me, but this got to the point of ew and squick for me. I preferred her husband, who unfortunately died, so instead, we had to deal with the creep that was the Dragon.
I couldn't stop reading this one tho. View all 4 comments. Oh my I definitely have a love hate relationship with Virginia Henley! She is such a powerful writer. No matter how much I despise some of her trade mark items in a story like However even though I have my issues there is no way I could give one less than 4 stars these little pet peeves of mine just keep them from 5 stars!!
Aug 28, Tmstprc rated it it was amazing. I read this when it was new, a fictional account of real people—epic storytelling! Apr 13, Melanie rated it it was amazing Shelves: marriage , tower-team-d.
I think I just found my new favorite author in the historical romance section. This book is not just a romance but a historical novel as well.
So much attention to detail is given that it will be a sin to peg it as another romance novel. Whoever thought the Story of Simon De Montfort and Eleanor was this intere I think I just found my new favorite author in the historical romance section. Makes me wish she wrote more books relating to that period. Though there were some inconsistencies in the historical information used the author has managed to capture the essence of that time period and had me thinking of nothing else for the two days I had after finishing this book.
I liked her writing style and the characters are well developed. I loved her Hawk and Dove and I love this even more can't wait to read her next book. Feb 05, Res rated it did not like it Recommended to Res by: geekturnedvamp. Shelves: well-arent-you-special , romance , didnt-finish. I gather she finds tempestuous true love later, but I didn't stick around. I force myself to read fifty pages before I give up on a book, so I read fifty pages entirely made up of three things: someone gazing at something often a mirror and reflecting on a huge shovelful of exposition; people talking to one another and handing back and forth slightly smaller shovelfuls of exposition; The one where Eleanor, sister of the young Medieval king Henry III, is married at nine and widowed at seventeen.
I force myself to read fifty pages before I give up on a book, so I read fifty pages entirely made up of three things: someone gazing at something often a mirror and reflecting on a huge shovelful of exposition; people talking to one another and handing back and forth slightly smaller shovelfuls of exposition; and breathless descriptions of Eleanor's beauty, her passionate nature, and how different she was from other women.
Oh, and the occasional screaming anachronism, as when Eleanor says, "I must be psychic. Mar 22, Anika rated it really liked it Shelves: historical-romance , old-school , osrbc , ebooks.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I must confess, I didn't expect to like this very much, but I really did. For her first marriage to William Marshal, almost 40 years her senior, she was a perfect little princess, modest, demure, and sweet.
I actually rather enjoyed that part and was dreading William's inevitable demise that you were informed of on page 1, so that you might not get overly attached to him, I suspec I must confess, I didn't expect to like this very much, but I really did. I actually rather enjoyed that part and was dreading William's inevitable demise that you were informed of on page 1, so that you might not get overly attached to him, I suspect. I was sad when he died and even wondered if I even wanted to continue reading.
Eleanor eventually comes to realize that he was more a father than a lover to her and that her deep abiding love for him was that of a child for the only father figure she's ever known.
I thought that made sense and it helped me get over his death. His overwhelming lust for a fifteen year-old teenager and his struggle to keep it in check until she was old enough to have sex with him at 16 was kind of creepy from a modern perspective, and I tried not to think about it overmuch but instead remember that for the times this wasn't unusual.
Little did I know that Eleanor had molded herself to William's wishes and hidden her true nature for years, which was the same irrepressible, cussing, dramatic, little shit that she'd been since her childhood. She and Simon clash constantly, over any stupid, ridiculous little thing, just so they can have insanely intense make-up sex afterwards.
I tried not to picture it too closely, him the towering giant whose ginormous member has to be harnessed in a black leather sheath so it won't get underfoot and her the 4. Alternative titles come to mind, but I suppose The Banana and the Hamster doesn't have the same ring to it.
Greedy, evil female antagonist the queen - check. Hero saves heroine from certain death, they are henceforth forced to spend a few days alone in a lonely cabin - check. Perverted, murderous bishop - check. Journey to the orient, heroine gets imprisoned in lusty sultan's serail - check.
The antagonists were all sexual deviants and purely evil - power-hungry, traiterous, and greedy. On the other hand, the friends of the main couple are noble, faithful, and loyal. The characters are all a bit one-dimensional, minus the main couple, and that saves the book. They are both completely nuts, deeply flawed, and very likeable.
I noticed a few inconsistencies - how likely would an Englishman in the 13th century know what a porcupine looks like? English children don't call their mothers "mommy", as far as i know. Those didn't bother me very much, though. I liked best how Eleanor and Simon were equal parts strong and vulnerable, the other being each one's greatest strength and greatest weakness.
Every time he felt the urge to subdue and master her he realized that he loved her stubbornness and unwillingness to yield to him. They are evenly matched despite their different genders and difference in physical strength.
In the end they find a way to accept each other wholly and find a balance in their relationship's power structure and I found that conclusion to the book very satisfying. Dec 04, Plum-crazy rated it it was amazing. Dec 12, Padma rated it it was amazing. Sep 29, Hilary rated it liked it. Pretty good writing - amusing and touching points.
Her true love, though, was the one who got his way by assaulting her senses. He believed that because he was the man, she should toe the line without protest or explanation. In the end she finally got to that point and then they lived happily ever after. Jul 06, Daneesha rated it liked it. This was a good book. I think it took too long to get to the meat of the romance between the hero and the heroine. This story is based on real people, but obviously the author took liberties to romanticize the characters.
Thank goodness because the real story of what happens to them after the book ends is really depressing! I liked the hero. He was a true alpha male. The female was every bit his match. I emailed the author of this book and she told me to let her know what I thought of it.
So off This was a good book. So off I go to e-mail her. Oct 05, Draven rated it really liked it. While I feel that in her more recent outings, Henley has lost her touch, Dragon and the Jewel is one of her best. The love scenes are X-rated steamy hot, as you'd expect from one of the original masters of the genre.
Oct 01, Kats Burn rated it it was amazing. This is Virginia Henley at her best. This is the second of the Medieval Plantagenet trilogy. Simon De Montfort takes your breath away. It seemed as close to being historically accurate as it could be. The novel had suspense, humor, and the most steamiest scenes one could endure. Take a chance and fall in love with another set of Virginia Henley characters.
Mar 08, Romance Reader rated it it was amazing Shelves: historical-romance , england , 15th-century. I love Ms. Please note that the tricks or techniques listed in this pdf are either fictional or claimed to work by its creator.
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Loved each and every part of this book. I will definitely recommend this book to romance, historical romance lovers. Your Rating:. Your Comment:.
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