Loyalty's Web by Joyce DiPastena
My Rating: 5 stars
Synopsis
In twelfth-century France, King Henry II of England has just finished crushing a rebellion by his power-hungry sons and now seeks to tame the lawless barons who supported them in this corner of his “Angevin empire.” To this end, the king has sent the Earl of Gunthar as his royal representative to ensure that Prince Richard and his former cohorts faithfully adhere to the terms of the peace treaty.
Far from being welcomed with open arms, Gunthar no sooner steps foot in the county of Poitou than he is greeted by a series of assassination attempts. All appear to be linked to the former rebellious prince through the agents of the family and friends of young Heléne de Laurant. A clever, intrepid young woman, she realizes that the only way to prove her loved ones’ innocence is by exposing the true assassin. Heléne races against time—and dark secrets of the past—to unmask the killer before the kingdom plunges back into war.
Fierce determination gives way to mutual attraction as Heléne and Gunthar spar over the identity of the traitor. But their blinding magnetism almost causes them to overlook an even deadlier threat from an entirely unexpected direction.
Far from being welcomed with open arms, Gunthar no sooner steps foot in the county of Poitou than he is greeted by a series of assassination attempts. All appear to be linked to the former rebellious prince through the agents of the family and friends of young Heléne de Laurant. A clever, intrepid young woman, she realizes that the only way to prove her loved ones’ innocence is by exposing the true assassin. Heléne races against time—and dark secrets of the past—to unmask the killer before the kingdom plunges back into war.
Fierce determination gives way to mutual attraction as Heléne and Gunthar spar over the identity of the traitor. But their blinding magnetism almost causes them to overlook an even deadlier threat from an entirely unexpected direction.
My Review
I'm not the type of person that throws 5 star ratings at every book. 4 stars--maybe, but in order to earn 5 stars from me, it must make an impression. Loyalty's Web definitely earned 5 stars. This book is more than just a romance. It had twists and turns that had me at the edge of my seat practically pulling out my hair in suspense and kept me reading until 3:00 am. One thing that I appreciate about Loyalty's Web is that it's clean! I could immerse myself in the romance without feeling guilty or worrying about what was on the next page. Joyce wrote a sizzling kiss-- and then kept it there. I think many authors and Hollywood take the easy way out and show that two people have a relationship by going straight to physical intimacy. It takes more work and character development to show the same bond without the use of sex scenes and Joyce does it masterfully! With sizzling (but clean) romance and adventure at every turn, Loyaty's Web took me on a wild and thrilling ride!
Joyce is amazing! I loved this book as well.
ReplyDeleteExcellent review of a book I, too thrilled to read--both before and after it was published. Joyce is wonderful, which includes being knowledgeable, capable, and a dependable, forgiving friend.
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