In The King's Service

Rating:
Summary: A Mediocre Medieval
Review: I've read some of this authors regencies, but this is my first medieval by her, and I was disappointed. Everything here is tired and predictable, an overbearing hero and a damaged, saintly heroine, yawn, yawn. The research seemed weak as well, more like an old Erol Flyn movie than genuine hisotrical fact. If you want to give this a try, buy used.

Rating:
Summary: He couldn't afford to fall in love with a traitor's daughter
Review: Sir Blaidd Morgan was on a mission for his young monarch, to determine if Lord Throckton was plotting to overthrow the king of England. As a ruse to explain his presence at Lord Throckton's castle, Blaidd pretends to be only interested in courting the lovely Lady Leila, Lord Throckton's eldest daughter. Although Lady Leila is gorgeous, she doesn't infatuate him like Lady Rebecca, Throckton's youngest daughter. Blaidd can't afford to get too close to her, though, for his mission of espionage may be compromised, but he can't get her off his mind.

Lady Rebecca Throckton was unconventional. She could ride a horse better than most men, shoot arrows with the best archers, and was incredibly strong-willed and headstrong. When she first met Blaidd, she was sure that he would be like the others who had tried to court her beautiful older sister, but she soon finds herself infatuated with him. Becca walks with a limp since she had an accident as a child, and she believes that no man will ever want her for a wife. When she learns of Blaidd's true motives for being at her home, will she believe him, or tell her father of Blaidd's plans?

I liked this book pretty well. Becca wasn't one of the silly, helpless women that too often appear in historical romances; she was strong, independent, and fierce in her own way. Blaidd was also strong and fierce in his own way, he seemed a lot more masculine than a lot of heroes I have read about, really. He didn't sit around all day talking about his feelings (which I can't stand in romance books), but he was tender and gentle when appropriate.

The ending didn't work for me, it was way too cliched and I saw it coming a mile away. I just knew what would happen, and what do you know, everything happened exactly as I suspected. Also, the fact that no man would ever marry Becca simply because she limped a little was a bit far-fetched. Surely someone would have married her, even if for her dowry alone (not romantic, I know, but love matches were rather rare at the time). It wasn't even a genetic thing - she just broke her leg as a child. Much ado over little, in my opinion. Still, the book was a good way to pass the time, and I'll probably read it again someday.

Rating:
Summary: He couldn't afford to fall in love with a traitor's daughter
Review: Sir Blaidd Morgan was on a mission for his young monarch, to determine if Lord Throckton was plotting to overthrow the king of England. As a ruse to explain his presence at Lord Throckton's castle, Blaidd pretends to be only interested in courting the lovely Lady Leila, Lord Throckton's eldest daughter. Although Lady Leila is gorgeous, she doesn't infatuate him like Lady Rebecca, Throckton's youngest daughter. Blaidd can't afford to get too close to her, though, for his mission of espionage may be compromised, but he can't get her off his mind.

Lady Rebecca Throckton was unconventional. She could ride a horse better than most men, shoot arrows with the best archers, and was incredibly strong-willed and headstrong. When she first met Blaidd, she was sure that he would be like the others who had tried to court her beautiful older sister, but she soon finds herself infatuated with him. Becca walks with a limp since she had an accident as a child, and she believes that no man will ever want her for a wife. When she learns of Blaidd's true motives for being at her home, will she believe him, or tell her father of Blaidd's plans?

I liked this book pretty well. Becca wasn't one of the silly, helpless women that too often appear in historical romances; she was strong, independent, and fierce in her own way. Blaidd was also strong and fierce in his own way, he seemed a lot more masculine than a lot of heroes I have read about, really. He didn't sit around all day talking about his feelings (which I can't stand in romance books), but he was tender and gentle when appropriate.

The ending didn't work for me, it was way too clichéd and I saw it coming a mile away. I just knew what would happen, and what do you know, everything happened exactly as I suspected. Also, the fact that no man would ever marry Becca simply because she limped a little was a bit far-fetched. Surely someone would have married her, even if for her dowry alone (not romantic, I know, but love matches were rather rare at the time). It wasn't even a genetic thing - she just broke her leg as a child. Much ado over little, in my opinion. Still, the book was a good way to pass the time, and I'll probably read it again someday.

Rating:
Summary: a little trite from a solid writer
Review: Sorry, this book felt like Moore was rushed and it suffered from it. Her tales are always solid reads, but she - like the other Harlequin Historical writers - are suffering from the new less-is-not-more HH downsize of their Historical romances. I mean wake up Harlequin. It's one think for contemporary romances to be streamlined, they deal with things people know and use every day. In a historical, well you want HISTORY!!!!! The poor writers in this line are suffering because either the plot goes or the history goes, leaving the HH line too formula.

Moore is a solid writer I have been reading for a decade and I always love her tales. This one just lacks her usual solid style.

It's a quickie read, due to the shorter word count, and it HURTS. It's a nice read, just nothing too fresh, not too engaging.

Harlequin give your historical writers room to write HISTORY and for character and plot development.

Rating:
Summary: a little trite from a solid writer
Review: Sorry, this book felt like Moore was rushed and it suffered from it. Her tales are always solid reads, but she - like the other Harlequin Historical writers - are suffering from the new less-is-not-more HH downsize of their Historical romances. I mean wake up Harlequin. It's one think for contemporary romances to be streamlined, they deal with things people know and use every day. In a historical, well you want HISTORY!!!!! The poor writers in this line are suffering because either the plot goes or the history goes, leaving the HH line too formula.

Moore is a solid writer I have been reading for a decade and I always love her tales. This one just lacks her usual solid style.

It's a quickie read, due to the shorter word count, and it HURTS. It's a nice read, just nothing too fresh, not too engaging.

Harlequin give your historical writers room to write HISTORY and for character and plot development.