Rating: 
Summary: I Really Like Ms. Hunter's Books
Review: Ian and Rayne are wonderful characters. The things they go through to consummate their marriage, are funny at times. The mystery of why Rayne husband never loved her and who really poisoned him and who Rayne's real father is add a lot to the story.
Rating:
Summary: I Really Like Ms. Hunter's Books
Review: Ian and Rayne are wonderful characters. The things they go through to consummate their marriage, are funny at times. The mystery of why Rayne husband never loved her and who really poisoned him and who Rayne's real father is add a lot to the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Not my cup of tea
Review: Ian and Reyna are strong characters, but he's too macho for my taste and she could use more inner strength. She succumbs so easily. There's lots of intrigue and it's passionate. But the book is too long and has little heart until the end.
It's been a while since I read it and I took few notes, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt with 3 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Medieval Romeo Meets His Match - Fine Historical Romance
Review: Lady Reyna, a beautiful, young Scottish widow, disguises herself as a courtesan in an attempt to relieve the military siege on her keep, and the danger to her people. She crosses the English battle lines and enters the enemy camp with the intention of seducing the commander and then murdering him...a medieval Judith and Holofernes, if you will. He is very experienced in the ways of courtesans and it becomes obvious that Reyna is a novice at seduction...although very tempting. So, the Lady is captured and the keep is taken. Fortunately, the takers are the good guys.Ian Guilford, the Commander, is an English mercenary, known for his way with the ladies and his feats in the bedroom. (Lord Of A Thousand Nights...right?) He is fascinated by Reyna, who is not captivated in return. Maybe that's why he is so taken with her? She has a mysterious past which intrigues him. Her much older husband died recently, supposedly poisoned. Rumor has it that Reyna is the prime suspect, as the sole inheritor of his land and wealth. She was married at age twelve to consolidate an alliance that would bring peace to the region. Fortunately, her early marriage enabled her to leave her abusive father and half brother. She loved her husband, who became her teacher, best friend and a father figure. If Reyna did not kill him, who did? And why? Now that she is a widow, her estranged father wants Reyna back. Other people are looking to protect her and/or to take her into their custody also. And Ian doesn't want to let her go. Madeline Hunter, as always, writes with clarity and elegance. Her grasp of history and her original plots have made her one of my favorite Historical Romance authors. I was not aware that this novel is a sequel, or related to any of her other books, until I began to recognize some familiar characters. It was wonderful to read more about Christiana and David from "By Arrangement" and Anna and Morvan from "The Protector." However, "Lord of A Thousand Nights" stands on its own merit. It is not necessary to have read any of Ms. Hunt's prior novels to enjoy this one. I think this book is actually better than some of her earlier work because of the complexity of the storyline, and the variety of characters. Both Reyna and Ian have dark pasts and many problems to overcome. They make an interesting couple, very well suited. I think Madeline Hunter has another winner and look forward to her next book. I'm a fan!
Rating: 
Summary: History, Mystery, and lots of romance
Review: Lord of a Thousand Nights is a "keeper". It has well-developed characters, a wonderful love story, and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. You will love joining Ian and Reyna as they try to discover the mysteries of one another, as well as the mysteries of the past. Unlike other reviewers, I think that a reader new to Hunter's books could easily enjoy this story without having read the previous ones. However, having the pleasure of reading By Arrangement and The Protector will only add to the enjoyment of this story. It's great to see old friends, Anna and Morvan, and Christiana and David, again. The interaction between the three women - Anna, Christiana, and Reyna - is a real treat. Female bonding at its best. Madeline Hunter has great skill as a storyteller. Every piece of the story fits the puzzle; not one word or character is wasted. You will love the way that she uses historical fact as a backdrop to her story. It gives added depth and richness that is hard to come by these days.
Rating:
Summary: Not my favorite Hunter, but still a really good book
Review: Madeline Hunter is a terrific writer of historical romance. IMHO, she has written some of the most exciting and different medieval romances to be released in the past few years. She has set herself a tough standard though, and for me Lord of a Thousand Nights doesn't quite match the quality of her others. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean it's not a really good book...it is. It's just a little more conventional, and a little less intriguing than her last efforts. I didn't learn as much from this novel, which may sound like a strange comment if you haven't read a book by Ms. Hunter before. One of the more fascinating qualities about Hunter's By... series and The Protector is that they look at the medieval world from slightly different angles than the "typical" medieval romance. Whether the hero was a merchant or stonemason instead of a knight/lord, or the heroine was a potter or a serf instead of a lady, the characters in the previous novels were different, and the settings unique. In comparison, Lord of a Thousand Nights doesn't give you enough of that. The heroine (Reyna) is a widowed lady and the hero (Ian) is the less-than-honorable head of a mercenary company hired by Morvan Fitzwaryn (hero of The Protector) to seige and hold the tower in which Reyna lives. That Ian succeeds in his task and Reyna is then dependent upon him for her safety is a given, and it's a plot device that works. It's tried and true. That's the problem with Lord of a Thousand Nights - it plays by the expected medieval rules and that's disappointing from an author who was so exciting because she was rewriting the standard. The characters are good: Reyna and (Ian also recurring from The Protector) are engaging and well-drawn; and they're a good match for each other. Reyna is feisty without being too stupid to live (TSTL in romance reader shorthand), and Ian is an alpha warrior who isn't afraid to think outside the box. That quality includes his dealings with Reyna, and his invention of devices to make his work easier. That plot element was fun, and gave Ian more depth than your usual "me-alpha-knight" character. I liked the h/h byplay, and I liked seeing them both interact with characters from Ms. Hunter's previous books. I really don't like the title of this book, which puts so much emphasis on Ian(it's his nickname, which just seems so silly), because to me this story is really more about Reyna and her history/land than it is about Ian. But hey, that's my opinion. Overall, Lord of a Thousand Nights is a well-written, historically detailed medieval romance with characters you will enjoy getting to know and a plot that is interesting if not entirely unique. If it were written by anyone but Madeline Hunter, I would probably have given it 5 stars. Unfortunately it just doesn't live up to the standard she's set for herself, so it gets 4. But do yourself a favor, and check out anything by this talented author. You really can't go wrong.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent...
Review: Madeline Hunter is one of those authors who sits at the top of my favorites list. She currently has six books and I have read four of them. I have given each book the highest rating. I own the last two of Hunter's yet unread books and will ration them out over the next few months. I prefer to savor a great author's books and want to string them out to fully appreciate these intriguing tales. However, Hunter is coming out with three new novels this fall (2003). All of her previous books have had medieval settings. Her three scheduled for release this fall will be set in the 1800s and should prove interesting reading. Ian of Guilford, the hero, is a knight in the service of Morvan Fitzwaryn. Ian is leading the takeover of Black Lyne Keep, a large estate that is a portion of Morvan's inheritance. However, this keep and surrounding properties were taken from Morvan's father years ago and he is now here to reclaim that which is rightfully his. Ian is your typical hero - very talented in all manner of warfare, handsome, arrogant, and well known to the ladies. In fact, his reputation with the ladies is so great that he has earned the nickname of Lord of a Thousand Nights. Reyna, the heroine, is the widow of the former overlord of Black Lyne Keep and is in trouble in more ways than one. In an attempt to end the siege on her home, she approaches Ian within the first pages of the book, disguised as a courtesan, and plans to kill him. She has mistaken Ian for Morvan and is greatly inept at playing the part of a courtesan. Ian sees through her masquerade immediately but allows her to continue until he sees she plans on killing him. Although he holds her captive after her failed murder attempt, she escapes easily and returns home though a tunnel that leads into the keep. Ian and his army have been attempting for weeks to find one of the hidden tunnels and he has set her up for just such an action. He and a few of his men follow her and Black Lyne immediately falls - giving Ian the victory. Shortly thereafter, the battle of wills begins between Ian and Reyna. But nothing is as it seems for either of them. Reyna who has been married to her former husband for twelve years, is believed to have murdered him. Ian, although a strong leader, does not hold much favor with Morvan because of some past incident. However, Ian had saved Morvan's life since that time and both feel an obligation to the other. There are many mysteries to solve or past hurts to overcome. These take as much time as the romance portion of the book but each page holds your interest nonetheless. Ian is alpha in the extreme but finds himself tolerating behavior from Reyna that he has never tolerated before. He knows he is drawn to her and hates every step that brings him closer to need and further from plain desire. Reyna, after the first portion of the book, becomes rather tame although she still refers to Ian when angry as a whoreson, bastard, and several other such names. It is fun to experience this interaction and at times very sensual. Although there are definitely some fun times in the book, the overall tone of the book is serious. The sensual scenes rate a solid 4.0 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines). The leads are likable and communicate truthfully with each other or choose to communicate not at all. At one point the heroine asks the hero if his father is still alive. He doesn't answer her. He won't lie and does not want to talk about such troublesome past issues yet - if at all. This is a good example of both leads' communication with the other. Lord of a Thousand Nights was an engrossing read. If you have read this series in order, you will recognize Morvan and Anna from The Protector. David and Christiana from By Arrangement also appear. Hunter provides us with more than just the cursory appearance of these characters so often seen in sequels. All four of these characters appear throughout the book and it is fun to watch them evolve further. Lord of a Thousand Nights is the third book in a series of three. The first in the series is The Arrangement and the second is the Protector. I have been confused because David of The Arrangement appears in another book as well, Stealing Heaven. I looked on Hunter's website today and found the answer to the mystery. Since 2000, she has written two series simultaneously. Her other series in order is By Possession, By Design, and Stealing Heaven. This second series I just mentioned actually occurs a few years prior to the other series. David links the two series together by appearing in Stealing Heaven and he is not yet married. In By Arrangement, he marries and we see him throughout the next two books in that series as well. It's a little complicated but try to figure it out because I was attempting to read the books by original publication date and was getting all confused. Although I have enjoyed each book immensely and I read them all out of sequence order - I still recommend that you read each in series order if possible. But don't let that stop you from beginning to read Hunter's books today wherever you may need to begin because you will be in for a treat - no matter what!
Rating:
Summary: Another sensual medieval tale from a fantastic author
Review: Madeline Hunter is one of those authors who sits at the top of my favorites list. She currently has six books and I have read four of them. I have given each book the highest rating. I own the last two of Hunter's yet unread books and will ration them out over the next few months. I prefer to savor a great author's books and want to string them out to fully appreciate these intriguing tales. However, Hunter is coming out with three new novels this fall (2003). All of her previous books have had medieval settings. Her three scheduled for release this fall will be set in the 1800s and should prove interesting reading. Ian of Guilford, the hero, is a knight in the service of Morvan Fitzwaryn. Ian is leading the takeover of Black Lyne Keep, a large estate that is a portion of Morvan's inheritance. However, this keep and surrounding properties were taken from Morvan's father years ago and he is now here to reclaim that which is rightfully his. Ian is your typical hero - very talented in all manner of warfare, handsome, arrogant, and well known to the ladies. In fact, his reputation with the ladies is so great that he has earned the nickname of Lord of a Thousand Nights. Reyna, the heroine, is the widow of the former overlord of Black Lyne Keep and is in trouble in more ways than one. In an attempt to end the siege on her home, she approaches Ian within the first pages of the book, disguised as a courtesan, and plans to kill him. She has mistaken Ian for Morvan and is greatly inept at playing the part of a courtesan. Ian sees through her masquerade immediately but allows her to continue until he sees she plans on killing him. Although he holds her captive after her failed murder attempt, she escapes easily and returns home though a tunnel that leads into the keep. Ian and his army have been attempting for weeks to find one of the hidden tunnels and he has set her up for just such an action. He and a few of his men follow her and Black Lyne immediately falls - giving Ian the victory. Shortly thereafter, the battle of wills begins between Ian and Reyna. But nothing is as it seems for either of them. Reyna who has been married to her former husband for twelve years, is believed to have murdered him. Ian, although a strong leader, does not hold much favor with Morvan because of some past incident. However, Ian had saved Morvan's life since that time and both feel an obligation to the other. There are many mysteries to solve or past hurts to overcome. These take as much time as the romance portion of the book but each page holds your interest nonetheless. Ian is alpha in the extreme but finds himself tolerating behavior from Reyna that he has never tolerated before. He knows he is drawn to her and hates every step that brings him closer to need and further from plain desire. Reyna, after the first portion of the book, becomes rather tame although she still refers to Ian when angry as a whoreson, bastard, and several other such names. It is fun to experience this interaction and at times very sensual. Although there are definitely some fun times in the book, the overall tone of the book is serious. The sensual scenes rate a solid 4.0 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines). The leads are likable and communicate truthfully with each other or choose to communicate not at all. At one point the heroine asks the hero if his father is still alive. He doesn't answer her. He won't lie and does not want to talk about such troublesome past issues yet - if at all. This is a good example of both leads' communication with the other. Lord of a Thousand Nights was an engrossing read. If you have read this series in order, you will recognize Morvan and Anna from The Protector. David and Christiana from By Arrangement also appear. Hunter provides us with more than just the cursory appearance of these characters so often seen in sequels. All four of these characters appear throughout the book and it is fun to watch them evolve further. Lord of a Thousand Nights is the third book in a series of three. The first in the series is The Arrangement and the second is the Protector. I have been confused because David of The Arrangement appears in another book as well, Stealing Heaven. I looked on Hunter's website today and found the answer to the mystery. Since 2000, she has written two series simultaneously. Her other series in order is By Possession, By Design, and Stealing Heaven. This second series I just mentioned actually occurs a few years prior to the other series. David links the two series together by appearing in Stealing Heaven and he is not yet married. In By Arrangement, he marries and we see him throughout the next two books in that series as well. It's a little complicated but try to figure it out because I was attempting to read the books by original publication date and was getting all confused. Although I have enjoyed each book immensely and I read them all out of sequence order - I still recommend that you read each in series order if possible. But don't let that stop you from beginning to read Hunter's books today wherever you may need to begin because you will be in for a treat - no matter what!
Rating:
Summary: "Not To Be Missed"
Review: The past and the present hit heads-on in this MUST READ Historical Romance Novel, "Lord of a Thousand Nights, " by entertaining storyteller, Madeline Hunter. I had a lot of fun reading this story. If you like your historical romance novels a bit spicey then this is one book you don't want to miss out on! Yes, it really is that good! I think you will agree!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent...
Review: This is my first book by this author. I loved it. Ian was perfection indeed. Wow! What a guy! Reyna was lovely and wonderful, and intelligent (thank goodness). There was intrigue, romance and a decent plot. I liked the friendships, especially between Reyna, Christiana, and Anna. My friends and I found the dialogue to be genuine and not in the least cartoonish. We readers write honest reviews from the heart. This is one of those books that stays in memory long after it's put on the shelf. And of course, I now must go back and read about Morvan and David, as they were very impressive men.
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