By Arrangement 
asked by 90210 on November 18, 2006 9:09 PM
The lady and the commoner...
Lady Christiana Fitzwaryn was not opposed to marriage. But she demanded to be married on her own terms, not as punishment for a romantic indiscretion, and especially not to a common merchant. Yet she was in for a shock when she met David de Abyndon. For she was confronted by no ordinary merchant but a man of extraordinary poise and virility. He was unaffected by their difference in social status. And even less affected by her well-thought-out arguments against their upcoming betrothal. Instead, it was Christiana who felt uneasy in the presence of this naturally lordly man behind whose cool blue eyes she sensed the most uncompromising of passions.
David de Abyndon understood Christiana's dilemma, for he too harbored a secret pain. How could he tell her that there was more to this arrangement than met the eye? How could he tell her about his deal with the king--a deal that meant he had all but bought Christiana sight unseen?
What's more, now that he had seen this beautiful, spirited woman, how could he convince her that the love she sought was not in the callow knight she had romanticized but in the flesh-and-blood arms of the man who may have bought her body--but in the bargain lost both his heart and soul?
Lady Christiana Fitzwaryn was not opposed to marriage. But she demanded to be married on her own terms, not as punishment for a romantic indiscretion, and especially not to a common merchant. Yet she was in for a shock when she met David de Abyndon. For she was confronted by no ordinary merchant but a man of extraordinary poise and virility. He was unaffected by their difference in social status. And even less affected by her well-thought-out arguments against their upcoming betrothal. Instead, it was Christiana who felt uneasy in the presence of this naturally lordly man behind whose cool blue eyes she sensed the most uncompromising of passions.
David de Abyndon understood Christiana's dilemma, for he too harbored a secret pain. How could he tell her that there was more to this arrangement than met the eye? How could he tell her about his deal with the king--a deal that meant he had all but bought Christiana sight unseen?
What's more, now that he had seen this beautiful, spirited woman, how could he convince her that the love she sought was not in the callow knight she had romanticized but in the flesh-and-blood arms of the man who may have bought her body--but in the bargain lost both his heart and soul?
Reviews
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Lady Christiana is desperate. She has given her love and virtue to Sir Stephen Percy, a knight of the King, and she has also just found out that the King has betrothed her to a mere merchant named David de Abyndon. She pleads with David to break the engagement but he refuses. Meanwhile, Sir Stephen has been summoned to his family's holdings, far in the north, and is unaware of the betrothal.
As the wedding day approaches, David gradually helps Lady Christiana realize that Sir Stephen is not as honorable as she thought he was. But then Lady Christiana also begins to comprehend that her David, successful merchant of London and mere commoner, is also not what he seems. David has a shadowy past, sides of himself that he hides from her. Also, to her horror, she finds out that her husband plays a vital and highly dangerous role in the intrigues between the kings of England and France.
I'll admit that I wasn't sure if I would like this book when I first started reading it. For one thing, Lady Christiana came across as a complete brat; spoiled, self-centered and very elitist. But fortunately, she grew on me. Throughout the story, Lady Christiana grew from a self-indulgent child into a levelheaded, mature woman who remained loyal to her husband even though she knew not where his loyalties lay.
David, by some contrast, is a very flawed character. Because of his past, he spent his entire life plotting revenge against those whom wronged him and his mother. His marriage to Lady Christiana changed the course of his life. Suddenly, vengeance wasn't so palatable to him anymore as his love for Lady Christiana grew.
This is the first book of Ms Hunter's that I've read and I'm very impressed. Her gift for making her characters come alive is impressive. The storyline is rich with history, plot twists and players that will keep you riveted throughout.
As the wedding day approaches, David gradually helps Lady Christiana realize that Sir Stephen is not as honorable as she thought he was. But then Lady Christiana also begins to comprehend that her David, successful merchant of London and mere commoner, is also not what he seems. David has a shadowy past, sides of himself that he hides from her. Also, to her horror, she finds out that her husband plays a vital and highly dangerous role in the intrigues between the kings of England and France.
I'll admit that I wasn't sure if I would like this book when I first started reading it. For one thing, Lady Christiana came across as a complete brat; spoiled, self-centered and very elitist. But fortunately, she grew on me. Throughout the story, Lady Christiana grew from a self-indulgent child into a levelheaded, mature woman who remained loyal to her husband even though she knew not where his loyalties lay.
David, by some contrast, is a very flawed character. Because of his past, he spent his entire life plotting revenge against those whom wronged him and his mother. His marriage to Lady Christiana changed the course of his life. Suddenly, vengeance wasn't so palatable to him anymore as his love for Lady Christiana grew.
This is the first book of Ms Hunter's that I've read and I'm very impressed. Her gift for making her characters come alive is impressive. The storyline is rich with history, plot twists and players that will keep you riveted throughout.
reviewed by mattisboss on November 20, 2006 9:36 PM
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This was not my first book by Madeline Hunter but it was my most favorite by her. I, too, mourn the fact that she's now shifted to regency era because there were so few good medieval romance books available out there. I've reread this book countless times and everytime I read it I am still amazed by the superb work MH has presented through this book.
MH has clearly done a lot of research for this book and I liked the fact that she put David as a merchant rather than the typical nobleman that you can find at almost every historical romance out there. This allowed me to 'see' what medieval life was like as a merchant, she also utilized the historical backdrop seamlessly into her story. Furthermore, I loved the characters' development in this book, especially Christina's, who really went through a visible change from a young sheltered naive girl to a mature woman and wife who finally fully understood her love for her husband. I would recommend this book highly.
MH has clearly done a lot of research for this book and I liked the fact that she put David as a merchant rather than the typical nobleman that you can find at almost every historical romance out there. This allowed me to 'see' what medieval life was like as a merchant, she also utilized the historical backdrop seamlessly into her story. Furthermore, I loved the characters' development in this book, especially Christina's, who really went through a visible change from a young sheltered naive girl to a mature woman and wife who finally fully understood her love for her husband. I would recommend this book highly.
reviewed by webster on November 23, 2006 12:42 AM