Heart of a Lion

Rating:
Summary: Romantic Times December Top Pick!!!
Review: "When eight-year-old Isabeau de Lyon runs off to watch the Children's Crusade pass by, she is caught up in the crowd and swept away. Sixteen-year-old Jared de Navarre vows to bring her home. His search lasts years and leads him to the Middle East, where he becomes the fierce mercenary known as the Black Lion.

Isabeau has been taken and sold into slavery. She survives the life she is forced to lead, eventually escaping the harem and claiming a new idnetity, that of the feared assassin called Shadow Hunter.

The Black Lion's reputation for taking chances makes him ideal for Isabeau's plot to steal a jewel from her nemesis. When she discovers that the mercenary is none other than her childhood protector, neither can guess what will happen as they meet as man and woman in this passionate game.

Hillary Fields takes her place as a true queen of romantic adventure. Readers will be transported to the desert and drawn into the wonderful web of intrigue. In this seductive tale, Ms. Fields creates vivid descriptions and vibrant characters that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end."

Rating:
Summary: "...Don't Miss This Fascinating Novel!"
Review: As a child, Isabeau de Lyon was betrothed to Jared de Navarre but was swept away in a crowd and sold into slavery in the Middle East. She endured life in a harem and eventually escaped, claiming a new identity, that of a feared assassin called Shadow Hunter.

Jared searched for his lady even when his search led him to the Middle East. Not finding her, he becomes the fierce mercenary known as the Black Lion.

When Isabeau needs the Black Lion's help to steal a jewel from her enemy and former owner, she instantly recognizes him as her betrothed Jared. At first she keeps him in the dark as to her identity, fearing his rejection of the woman she has become, but along the way to Bagdad she reveals herself and the passion starts.

Totally engrossing! Sizzling hot! Totally transported to the Middle East, this reader felt like I was a part of the desert and was kept sitting in the edge of my seat through the wonderfully written intrigue. The vivid descriptions and wonderfully seductive and vibrant characters will keep you engrossed throughout the book. A book I highly recommend.

Rating:
Summary: HEART OF A LION takes you on a spellbinding journey of coura
Review: Betrothed as children Isabeau and Jared are separated by her curiosity regarding the Children's Crusades, Jared, feeling guilty, spent years fulfilling a promise to not return without her.
This romance kept me turning pages for four quick days as I traveled to Arabia relishing in vengeance, family and a, finally, fearsome heroine.
A perfectly good book can be ruined by a bad ending; this book began, read and ended with satisfaction.

Rating:
Summary: Just what I want from a romance
Review: Having read other reviews of this book, I'm surprised to find anyone wants anything out of a romance except a fun read, but I can't complain as the author produced another interesting, well-researched and entertaining romance. It was well written, but it is still a "bodice-ripper" so don't expect it to teach us any lessons or values! Read it for what it is supposed to be, a ribald, sometimes funny, romantic story that takes place in a different time and place, and gives most of us something we don't have everyday.

Rating:
Summary: A great medieval romance
Review: In 1212, teenager Jared de Navarre is expected keep his preadolescent betrothed Isabeau de Lyon safe, but she sneaks away to watch the Children's Crusade. Somehow Isabeau becomes part of the marchers and vanishes. Feeling guilty for failing at his mission, Jared vows to find Isabeau and bring her home. However, she is sold into slavery in the Middle East and he fails to rescue her.

Years go by and though Jared still sort of seeks out Isabeau he believes she is dead. He has hardened his heart and become the notorious mercenary The Black Lion, willing to do anything for cash. An assassin guild member, the Shadow Hunter, knows of his reputation and hires Jared to steal a jewel from a rival. Neither the Black Lion nor the Shadow Hunter realizes that the identity of the other is their betrothed. Both have done ugly things to mentally survive, but a wall of shame makes a permanent relationship between them seems more impossible than the first meeting between them after all those years.

HEART OF A LION is a strong medieval romance that mostly occurs in the Middle East, which enables the plot to feel quite invigorating in spite of the desert heat. The action-packed story line hooks sub-genre fans because both lead characters obtain empathy from the audience due to their respective plights. Hillary Fields provides an intense historical romance that will surely garner her many new readers.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Good read!
Review: Lady Isabeau had been betrothed since birth to the squire Jared de Navarre, who was eight years older than her. Jared vowed to her parents to watch over her and protect her. But Isabeau was stubborn and feisty. At age eight, she wanted to go into town to see "the messenger straight from Jesus". When Jared refused, she slipped away to go alone and ended up being abducted. She was transported to the Mideast and sold into a harem.

Jared had been only sixteen, but felt the full weight of his responsibilities. He vowed to Isabeau's mother never to return unless he had found Isabeau. He soon believed her to be dead. Jared became a fierce mercenary called the Black Lion. He and his band of warriors became well known. But the Black Lion used his travels and the money gained from his trade to continue his hopeless search for his lost fiancé.

Isabeau was called simply the Assassin. Very few knew the face of this legendary desert rebel, not even the men who called her their leader. Having escaped the harem, she learned the ways of the Assassins' Cult. Her only thought was to free the one friend she ever had in the harem from her vile "Master". She hired the Black Lion's band for temporary aid, not knowing Jared to be the leader. Once face to face, she believed he could never accept her for what she had to become or the horrible things she had to do for survival.

**** This story begins to simmer from page one and becomes a virtual blaze of wildfire once they meet in the desert! A fast paced book with secondary characters that I could not help but admire. The only thing I found unbelievable was Isabeau being able to keep her virginity. Recommended. ****

Rating:
Summary: HEART OF A LION takes you on a spellbinding journey of coura
Review: Reviewer: Suzanne Coleburn, The Belles and Beaux of Romance

Setting: France 1212 and Northwest Persia 1228

HEART OF A LION is a thrilling romantic adventure about a headstrong young girl abducted and sold into slavery in the Mideast and found later by the man who was her betrothed, a legendary mercenary called The Black Lion. Jared de Navarre has made it his life to search for his beloved Isabeau and never return to his homeland until he is able to bring her back to her family.

Sixteen years have passed and Jared has been summoned to fight by the side of the renegade "Shadow Hunter" who leaves a white rose as a sign the Assassin will take a life. Little does Jared know that this deeply veiled person is none other than his lost Isabeau. The renegade needs the mercenary to help free a precious jewel from her detested enemy. Get ready for a lot of excitement as these two join forces to invade an enemy fortress and capture a rare prize as danger swirls all around them.

Jared is a magnificent male who is guilt-ridden but strong, compassionate and forgiving as well as loyal and never a quitter. Isabeau is resourceful, courageous and undaunted in fighting for what is right as she leaves her past behind. She knows her life is going to change again when she finds out that the Black Lion is Jared de Navarre, her betrothed. Their love story sizzles right off the pages and will surely have your heart pounding double and triple time with Ms. Fields' special brand of sensuality. Delicious!

Suzanne "The Black Lion Sure had my Blood Pressure and a few other things in an Uproar. Whew, I Don't think I'll Recover Anytime soon!" Coleburn

"Hillary Fields' HEART OF A LION takes you on a spell-binding journey of courage and valor as an enduring love story unfolds that is so powerful you can hear the Black Lion roar as he searches for his beloved Isabeau. Incredible storytelling by a master!"

Suzanne Coleburn, The Belles and Beaux of Romance

Rating:
Summary: Far-Fetched and Annoying
Review: The first Hillary Fields book I read was "Marrying Jezebel" in which I didn't really like the main characters, but the exotic locale of Egypt and the fairly fast-paced storyline kept my interest. And I liked it enough to read "The Maiden's Revenge" which is by far Fields best novel to date. Her male character was somewhat typical of romance novels, but Lynette Blackthorne was strong and witty. The action was well-developed and so was the romance. After reading "Heart of a Lion", however, I've come to realize that all of Hillary Fields main characters are attracted to each other for physical looks only. You can counter-act this and say that Jared and Isabeau had been in love since child-hood and blah de blah, but as soon as he saw her naked it was all "his blonde goddess in the glorious buff". It seemed more like he was in love with her simply because of who she had been to him and because she was beautiful. Hint to Miss Fields : Not Everyone in the World is Beautiful. She has talent as a writer and her locales are interesting, but her character developement is severely lacking. Maybe have a plain Jane attract a handsome hero for something, ANYTHING else besides her looks. I don't think I'll be purchasing her next book, but I might check it out of the library to see how she manages with her next batch of characters. However, if the hero and heroine are both beautiful people and the initial attraction is all physical, that puppy is going back! The whole storyline of "Heart of a Lion" was really rather ridiculous, there was no way Isabeau would have been able to keep her virginity in a harem and that just made her a far less interesting character all together, and I saw absolutely no reason for Jared and Isabeau to have fallen in love. Two stars for the more interesting romance novel setting and because the writing style made it slightly superior to most Harlequin-esque novels.