Rating:  Summary: It could have been better... Review: I'm a bit disappointed, too. She didn't write Colin near as complexly as she hinted at in This Is All I Ask. He could have been so much better and she copped out. I have to admit that My Heart Stood Still was a bit of a let-down, too, though they both pick toward the end. Overall, I'd have to say that Robin and Ann were sweeter (If I Had You), Chris and Gillian were more heart-rending (This Is All I Ask) and Rhys and Gwen were far funnier (Another Chance To Dream). Let's hope the next are better than the last.
Rating:  Summary: It could have been better... Review: I'm a bit disappointed, too. She didn't write Colin near as complexly as she hinted at in This Is All I Ask. He could have been so much better and she copped out. I have to admit that My Heart Stood Still was a bit of a let-down, too, though they both pick toward the end. Overall, I'd have to say that Robin and Ann were sweeter (If I Had You), Chris and Gillian were more heart-rending (This Is All I Ask) and Rhys and Gwen were far funnier (Another Chance To Dream). Let's hope the next are better than the last.
Rating:  Summary: funny, cute and entertaining but not the best !! Review: If you're familiar with Lynn Kurland's book, you may have feeling that this one is not her best. This book is actually a sequal to "This is all I ask". However, it can stand alone. The story is about a "bride quest" of Sir Colin of Berkamshire, a character from the previous book. After fleeing her marriage to the scariest man on earth, Colin of Berkamshire, Alinore of Solonge disguised as a knight and found herself accompanied Colin's latest future bride to her wedding. She ended up at the same place where she ran away from two years ago. Not only she had to face The butcher of Berkamshire again, Alinore also ended up being a knight in Colin's garrison and was trained by Colin himself. As for Colin, while trying to train his new sweet-looking soldier to be a 'real' knight, he couldn't help having some good feeling towards his new soldier which, of course, turned up to be a lovely lady at the end. In this book, you also have a chance to read about other adorable characters from 'This is all I ask' again. However, in my opinion, Colin character in this book is a bit less charming. Although Lynn Kurland's writing is still very cute and fun, there's something missing about this book. Alinore is a mixture of an adorable heroine and a not-so-smart character which can be annoying from time to time. There's also some redundant, boring scenes specially when the book telling about Colin's effort to train Alinore (again and again) and when Alinore was so scared of Colin to reveal her true self (again) while others already knew who she really was. I admit that I laughed a lot while reading but didn't have a really good impression towards the book at the end. So If you're Lynn Kurland's fan, I know, although it's not the best but you can't help yourself to buy this book (just like me). But if you're not that familiar with Kurland's books, try her other excellent masterpieces such as 'Stardust of Yesterday' or 'This is all I ask' before coming back to this one. Although not superb, I still love Lynn Kurland's work...
Rating:  Summary: funny, cute and entertaining but not the best !! Review: If you're familiar with Lynn Kurland's book, you may have feeling that this one is not her best. This book is actually a sequal to "This is all I ask". However, it can stand alone. The story is about a "bride quest" of Sir Colin of Berkamshire, a character from the previous book. After fleeing her marriage to the scariest man on earth, Colin of Berkamshire, Alinore of Solonge disguised as a knight and found herself accompanied Colin's latest future bride to her wedding. She ended up at the same place where she ran away from two years ago. Not only she had to face The butcher of Berkamshire again, Alinore also ended up being a knight in Colin's garrison and was trained by Colin himself. As for Colin, while trying to train his new sweet-looking soldier to be a 'real' knight, he couldn't help having some good feeling towards his new soldier which, of course, turned up to be a lovely lady at the end. In this book, you also have a chance to read about other adorable characters from 'This is all I ask' again. However, in my opinion, Colin character in this book is a bit less charming. Although Lynn Kurland's writing is still very cute and fun, there's something missing about this book. Alinore is a mixture of an adorable heroine and a not-so-smart character which can be annoying from time to time. There's also some redundant, boring scenes specially when the book telling about Colin's effort to train Alinore (again and again) and when Alinore was so scared of Colin to reveal her true self (again) while others already knew who she really was. I admit that I laughed a lot while reading but didn't have a really good impression towards the book at the end. So If you're Lynn Kurland's fan, I know, although it's not the best but you can't help yourself to buy this book (just like me). But if you're not that familiar with Kurland's books, try her other excellent masterpieces such as 'Stardust of Yesterday' or 'This is all I ask' before coming back to this one. Although not superb, I still love Lynn Kurland's work...
Rating:  Summary: I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down.... Review: much to the chagrin of my husband who kept bugging me that I should put it down and go to sleep. The story has elements of humor as well as excitement as Ali impersonates a male to flee from the husband who is known by reputation of being the meanist man on the continent. However, Fate plays a dirty trick and has her escorting his new bride to the wedding. Although extremely crude and unmannerly, the knight takes what he believes to be an unseasoned knight under his wing and starts to train him. Learning under his tutalage more than just how to weild a sword, Ali comes to see the man for who he is, and not his reputation. Peril is constantly at her back, however as she is faced with the demons of her past. The story unfolds with humor that is always a staple in Kurland's treasure box, and this jewel is a must read for all her fans and others alike. If you are looking for a sexy read, I bid you go somewhere else, as Kurland has only the romance in this book!
Rating:  Summary: A Bit of a disappointment Review: O.K., it's a really good book. I don't think M.s Kurland knows how to write anything else. I'd probably find her shopping lists entertaining. My disappointment was that I expected to see a lot of Christopher & Gillian in this sequel to "This is All I ASk" which is my favorite of her books. Instead, they are barely mentioned.I was pleased that she didn't "clean up' Colin, this books hero, to the point of making him unrecognizable. Gruff,tough, and smelly, he was a likeable secondary character in the previous book, and this provided an explanation for his father's desperation to find a wife for him. The heroine,Ali, upon finding herself betrothed to "The Butcher of Berkamshire" two years earlier, fled disguised as a man rather than make excuses for not wanting to marry him. Early in this book, she finds herself assigned to his garrison to be trained as a knight. Things get complicated as she finds herself falling in love with the man she has evaded for two years. So, Ali toughens up a bit. We readers already knew about Colin's soft underbelly from the previous book,so it was clear early on that she was bound to discover it, too.Another reviewer claimed to have gotten bored waiting for them to get together. Not I, but remember I'm the one who would read this lady's shopping lists.
Rating:  Summary: Just too slow Review: On a positive note, I found the characters of Alienore and Colin to be amusing and somewhat endearing. Colin was a total slob who never took baths, wore a years worth of meals on his cloths, and like to use the sleeve of his shirt to blow his nose (yuck), but he was also very kind and sweet in a bumbling, thickheaded way. Alienore, who also had an aversion to baths, might be classified as an amusing wimp who eventually stops squeaking and sniffling and develops a little spunk. On the negative side, I found the pace of the book to be very slow, compounded by the fact that it was way too long. It probably could have been cut in half without loosing any of the important stuff. There was also NO romance or sexual tension between Alienore and Colin. In fact, for most of the book Colin is not even aware that his squire Henri (Alienore in disguise) is a woman. Did I mention that Colin is not very bright? Another pet peeve I had was the way the sentences were constructed. I guess the author was trying to create an "old English" feel to the text, but I just found it cumbersome to follow.
Rating:  Summary: To many endings Review: The book is very well written until the first end (you will know when is the first end of the book), in this part you will laugh and have a very pleasant time reading the story of Colin of Berkamshire and Alinore of Solonge, I have to say that this love story has his ups and downs but you won't be able to put the book down. The problem is that the first end of the book is about a hundred pages before the last end, and these last one hundred pages took off two stars to this book, this book has three endings, and I really don't know why she had to finish this book in that way, she just take the smile of your face doing that.
Rating:  Summary: 1/2* A sparkling original with deviant characters Review: There was no sizzle or smoldering passion at a hefty length of 400 pages. Unconventional? Yes - and in fact Lynn Kurland's latest medieval romp banishes the rote alpha-male formula to craft out Colin the butcher of Berkhamshire - a gruff grizzly warrior who dislikes bathing and the chains of matrimony. Even Alienore of Solonge, his intended has decided to fled at the thought of being married to the fearsome warrior and disguise as a knight Henri to hide from the radar of her malicious stepmother Marie. A twist of fate sends her to Blackmour where her charge Sybil is promised to her intended and the farce stretches thinner with the closer proximity of Colin who decides to train her in swordplay. The villian Sir Etienne accidentally overheard her admittance and decides to threaten her.... It is true that the story stretches too long yet the cross-dressing farce of a romance sustains interest with the dynamics of the couple. The innocent chaste romance draws on the strength of the two beguiling characters where it grows from admiration to trusting love - and that both of them shows surprising dimensions. Alienore matures from her cowardice; Colin has a tender chivalrous heart despite his unappealing appearance. It is refreshingly funny and poignant with quirky flawed protagonists in this starkly fractured romance. This isn't Ms. Kurland's best of course - what with stereotypical villains and overdevelopment at some parts of the story like Henri's training. Yet it is a sparkling original even though it is uneven at parts - and why not accept these flaws as we come to accept the deviant protagonists?
Rating:  Summary: One of her best Review: This book made me laugh so many times - Colin is hilarious! This is one of her best stories yet and makes me very sorry that Jason's story was only a novella (he figures prominently in this story). Her cast of characters is wide but not overwhelming and her recurring characters from past stories (Christopher, Gillian, Jason, the three witches, etc...) add to the story well without trying to take over the telling. If you've never read Kurland, and I have read them all, this book will give you an excellent taste of what you've been missing and send you straight back to Amazon.com to buy all of her previous works.
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