Rating: 
Summary: What's happened with Allegreto??
Review: This book was absorbing at times, but it failed to capture the essence of a romance novel. It didn't quite give me the pleasure that other books by the author has in the past, especially The Shadow and the Star, and Seize the Fire. It lacked depth on what the lead characters were feeling for each other and the historical context and events were hindering the story rather than enhancing it. What it did have was a certain dark tone that was intriguing, but most of all, there is an incredibly compelling character in Allegreto. Ms. Kinsale, what are you going to do with him? He's young, both noble and scary, and has an aura of tragedy that's truley compelling. The scene where he lets go of his love was really moving and the most memorable of the book. I wonder what kind of man he became. Please do something with him! Lastly, I disagree with another reviewer who criticized historical accuracy. There is a reason why I read romance books along with history and literature, it's a different sort of pleasure and not one that hinges on whether or not the language is correct. But I do agree with another point made that the women characters are fairly one demensional compared to the men. But I enjoy Ms. Kindale's work very much and wonder why we haven't heard from her for so long.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: This is a beautifully told tale with all the spirit and romanticism of the classic Ivanhoe.Thirteenth century England is brought to life in vivid detail, while the physical and emotional journey of the characters are movingly told. The story has an unusual plot and the author shows a deft insight and understanding in human character which sets her apart from the ordinary romance genre writers. This is one to keep and to read over and over again.
Rating: 
Summary: For My Lady's Heart **Great**
Review: This is a wonderful read. The hero Ruck is fabulous. Not your run of the mill rake. He has strong principles and he lives by them. Nor do you find your everyday herione. She is a widow, she's devious, a liar, a tease. Yes she has all of those usually villianous qualities but she is trying to stay alive in a twisting maze of treachery. I loved being a part of watching them find each other. I heartily reccomend this one. :)
Rating:
Summary: For My Lady's Heart **Great**
Review: This is a wonderful read. The hero Ruck is fabulous. Not your run of the mill rake. He has strong principles and he lives by them. Nor do you find your everyday herione. She is a widow, she's devious, a liar, a tease. Yes she has all of those usually villianous qualities but she is trying to stay alive in a twisting maze of treachery. I loved being a part of watching them find each other. I heartily reccomend this one. :)
Rating:
Summary: Best of Kinsale, sadly
Review: This is her better work. She strays off course from the strength of the story with onerous amounts of internal dialogue...the same constant female dialogue that, as a woman I find repetitious and boring. Why? Becasue she fails on every count to realize the realities of women of the age she writes. This one is better than the others I have read, though, a tougher character is refreshingly good when put in relief against Ruadrik of Wolfscar (what is it with the names? can we not have a Geoffrey of Hereford? Is Wolfscar an homage to Woodiwiss's Wulfgar of _The Wolf and the Dove_?) who ends up as the finer of the two in character development.All Chars. stand out well, though I would have had more of the partially demented knights story. (Read your Scott, Ms. Kinsale, God is in the Details!) Unfortunately the one disadvantage of her female chars is simply that they are flatter than one would like. Upon reading more of her books (and they read fast, good on a loungue chair on a beach for 1/2 a day) I find the same is true for many of her heroines. Melanthe, again, has the constant internal discussion about love, power and men but Kinsale lets us glimpse a small bit of how she really feels at the end. In the multi-dimensional world of interaction with others, Melanthe becomes a repetative puppet. Some have complained about the Middle English, it is not bad, but she doesn't really do it justice at all and it falls in the reader's way like chairs in a chase scene. Again, Ms. Kinsale, try some Scott, heck even Woodiwiss. This is a mass market paperback, the story does not support the idea of the language to the degree that it encumbers it. The machinations of setting and place interfere with what could be a pretty interesting story about Court politics in late Edward III's rule. One can smell the Yorkist and Lancastrian problems on the horizon, but Kinsale robs us of that Late Medieval excitement in favor of a mismatched tale pairing a Borgia-esque Italian Court with an Arthurian Fantasy. She may have had more success with picking one over the other. For a better feel of character development and narrative - and romance - try Annette Motley's _Sins of the Lion_ or _My Lady's Crusade_. Both of these have deft handling of description but the characters rise to the occasion, leaving you truly empathizing with them at all turns. Quite re-readable and as Ms. Motley seems to shine with scholarship, the history shines along with here rich story-telling. Perhaps Ms. Kinsale ought to pick up a copy of those for herself, I would suggest them over this body of work any day. Finally, and this may surprise, this book is compelling - to a degree. The characters are consistantly motivated by the time which they live. Ruck's first wife is a religious fanatic by late 20th century standards, but not by the 14th century. Ruck is wonderfully rendered. The supporting character of Allegretto and Cara are good, for Kinsale's work, though the angst-ridden father-fixation of Allegretto is too fin de siecle 19th century, Freudian et al. Saddest of all there is a mention that this is set in the 13th century..ouch, not possible! Edward was born in 1312! Good potato chip read, frustrating if you have read any Judith Merkle-Riley or Mary Renault.
Rating:
Summary: A wicked princess and a sensitive guy
Review: This is Laura Kinsale's best story. This a story that surprises from beginning to end. The characters are amazing and intresting. They are deffinately well created, so much so that it makes you think that the characters must be real. The main characters are unique, they are a wicked princess and a sensitive guy. You must read this story it is the best!
Rating: 
Summary: What Happened?
Review: This is not your usual light-hearted medieval romance. With her customary style, Ms. Kinsale penned a rich and complex tale involving Princess Melanthe and her loyal knight, Ruck. Melanthe is the widow of a powerful Italian lord, and is a woman greatly desired for her wealth and land. So desirable that she is the object of great obsession to a competing Italian noble, Gian Navona who believes he will wed her. Ms. Kinsale employs the device that many romance authors use--create such an amazing hero that even the most unlovable heroine can be forgiven. This was true with her brilliant Flowers from the Storm and her less stellar but still engaging Prince of Midnight. (I adored Leda, the heroine from the beautifully written Shadow and the Star!) Melanthe is positively unlikeable. She has been warped by a lifetime of deceit. Her words and actions are often cold and cruel. It's easy to see why she loves and needs Ruck, as he is ever steadfast, handsome and strong. She is clingy, petulant and secretive when she is not being dismissive and haughty. It's often less clear what makes her desirable to him. If you believe in destiny, then Ruck's 13 years of fascination with with after one glance makes sense. He is the embodiment of the noble hero, and like a Templar in that he has been celibate in deed since his wife went to the nunnery. Worthy sideplots involve Alleghretto and Donna Cara, members of Princess Melanthe's retinue. After a lengthy sabbatical from writing (7 years!), Ms. Kinsale returns with Alleghretto's own tale to be released summer of 2004.
Rating:
Summary: A Quest, with Dragons and Princesses
Review: This is not your usual light-hearted medieval romance. With her customary style, Ms. Kinsale penned a rich and complex tale involving Princess Melanthe and her loyal knight, Ruck. Melanthe is the widow of a powerful Italian lord, and is a woman greatly desired for her wealth and land. So desirable that she is the object of great obsession to a competing Italian noble, Gian Navona who believes he will wed her. Ms. Kinsale employs the device that many romance authors use--create such an amazing hero that even the most unlovable heroine can be forgiven. This was true with her brilliant Flowers from the Storm and her less stellar but still engaging Prince of Midnight. (I adored Leda, the heroine from the beautifully written Shadow and the Star!) Melanthe is positively unlikeable. She has been warped by a lifetime of deceit. Her words and actions are often cold and cruel. It's easy to see why she loves and needs Ruck, as he is ever steadfast, handsome and strong. She is clingy, petulant and secretive when she is not being dismissive and haughty. It's often less clear what makes her desirable to him. If you believe in destiny, then Ruck's 13 years of fascination with with after one glance makes sense. He is the embodiment of the noble hero, and like a Templar in that he has been celibate in deed since his wife went to the nunnery. Worthy sideplots involve Alleghretto and Donna Cara, members of Princess Melanthe's retinue. After a lengthy sabbatical from writing (7 years!), Ms. Kinsale returns with Alleghretto's own tale to be released summer of 2004.
Rating:
Summary: Simply breathtaking
Review: This is one of, if not the best historical romance I have ever read. The characters are real and fantastical, noble and petty at once. The plot is absorbing. The medieval dialect, far from being distracting, enhances the mood and makes you feel you know the characters personally. If you can't get the book here, run to your nearest used book store
Rating:
Summary: Among My Top Ten Romance Books
Review: This one runs neck and neck with THE SHADOW AND THE STAR for my favorite book by Kinsale. Melanthe is possibly the strongest female character I've come across in a romance and Ruck is one of the most original. Add together a lot of medieval intrigue and the unforgettable Allegreto, and you have an amazing package. For the writer of the review below, Allegreto's book, ENCHANTER, is on the way.
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