A sweeping, densely plotted epic that will likely appeal to fans of historical fiction or George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice...
A knight faces brutal challenges at home and abroad in de Rothschild’s historical-fiction debut.
Set in 1338, the novel centers on Sir Roger de Bohun, King Edward III’s one-time whipping boy, who’s now the “King’s Friend.” Roger has been handsomely rewarded for his years of loyalty: The king gave him a beautiful wife—Lady Alice, Queen Philippa’s lady-in-waiting—with whom he has two children, Harry and Isabel. He’s building an extravagant castle at Ipers Manor and has received a promotion to the prestigious rank of banneret. Roger’s successes, however, come during troubling times, as Edward makes a claim for the throne of France, complicating a number of political and religious intrigues. Closer to home, Lady Alice catches the eye of Sir Eustace de Frage, a man who will stop at nothing to claim her for himself. As tensions mount, Roger finds himself fighting for his king and his family. The author succeeds in creating a richly detailed setting and memorable characters. His descriptions of daily life in France and England, including the grand architecture of churches and castles, create a vivid picture of life during that era. Roger is a dynamic protagonist: a man of faith who’s loyal to his king, church and family but not immune to the charms of beautiful women. He’s met his match in Lady Alice, a passionate young woman who capably maintains the castle while he’s away. Eustace is a cunning villain whose ruthless desire for revenge drives some of the novel’s most effectively chilling scenes. The author’s vision is ambitious; as a result, the multitude of characters and subplots occasionally obscures the main protagonist’s story. The battle scenes are quite brutal, but de Rothschild reins them in before they become too gratuitous.
A sweeping, densely plotted epic that will likely appeal to fans of historical fiction or George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-1499293661
Page Count: 490
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Wacky plot keeps the pages turning and enduring schmaltzy romantic sequences.
Sisters work together to solve a child-abandonment case.
Ellie and Julia Cates have never been close. Julia is shy and brainy; Ellie gets by on charm and looks. Their differences must be tossed aside when a traumatized young girl wanders in from the forest into their hometown in Washington. The sisters’ professional skills are put to the test. Julia is a world-renowned child psychologist who has lost her edge. She is reeling from a case that went publicly sour. Though she was cleared of all wrongdoing, Julia’s name was tarnished, forcing her to shutter her Beverly Hills practice. Ellie Barton is the local police chief in Rain Valley, who’s never faced a tougher case. This is her chance to prove she is more than just a fading homecoming queen, but a scarcity of clues and a reluctant victim make locating the girl’s parents nearly impossible. Ellie places an SOS call to her sister; she needs an expert to rehabilitate this wild-child who has been living outside of civilization for years. Confronted with her professional demons, Julia once again has the opportunity to display her talents and salvage her reputation. Hannah (The Things We Do for Love, 2004, etc.) is at her best when writing from the girl’s perspective. The feral wolf-child keeps the reader interested long after the other, transparent characters have grown tiresome. Hannah’s torturously over-written romance passages are stale, but there are surprises in store as the sisters set about unearthing Alice’s past and creating a home for her.
Wacky plot keeps the pages turning and enduring schmaltzy romantic sequences.Pub Date: March 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-345-46752-3
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2005
Heartfelt, yes, but pretty routine.
Life lessons.
Angie Malone, the youngest of a big, warm Italian-American family, returns to her Pacific Northwest hometown to wrestle with various midlife disappointments: her divorce, Papa’s death, a downturn in business at the family restaurant, and, above all, her childlessness. After several miscarriages, she, a successful ad exec, and husband Conlan, a reporter, befriended a pregnant young girl and planned to adopt her baby—and then the birth mother changed her mind. Angie and Conlan drifted apart and soon found they just didn’t love each other anymore. Metaphorically speaking, “her need for a child had been a high tide, an overwhelming force that drowned them. A year ago, she could have kicked to the surface but not now.” Sadder but wiser, Angie goes to work in the struggling family restaurant, bickering with Mama over updating the menu and replacing the ancient waitress. Soon, Angie befriends another young girl, Lauren Ribido, who’s eager to learn and desperately needs a job. Lauren’s family lives on the wrong side of the tracks, and her mother is a promiscuous alcoholic, but Angie knows nothing of this sad story and welcomes Lauren into the DeSaria family circle. The girl listens in, wide-eyed, as the sisters argue and make wisecracks and—gee-whiz—are actually nice to each other. Nothing at all like her relationship with her sluttish mother, who throws Lauren out when boyfriend David, en route to Stanford, gets her pregnant. Will Lauren, who’s just been accepted to USC, let Angie adopt her baby? Well, a bit of a twist at the end keeps things from becoming too predictable.
Heartfelt, yes, but pretty routine.Pub Date: July 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-345-46750-7
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2004
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