Blurb from the back of Loyalty's Web by Joyce Dipastena:
In twelfth century France, King Henry II of England has just finished quashing 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.
You know how they say not to judge a book by it's cover? Well, when Joyce's book first came out, it sounded interesting but I just couldn't get past the cover of the book. Then, Loyalty's Web was a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist and a new publisher picked up Joyce's book. There was tons of publicity and a new cover. I finally picked up my very own copy and was surprised when I just couldn't put it down! In fact, I re-read it within a week of finishing it!
I loved Helene and Gunthar. There's so much tension surrounding them - both of the mysterious and romantic nature. I loved the time setting - castles, knights, and tunics, oh my! Can I just say it was absolutely refreshing to read a midieval romance that wasn't filled with smut? There was plenty of romance and some WOW! packed kisses - certainly enough to make the romantic in me very happy - but I never once read a passage that made me cringe. Thank you, Joyce!
So I have once again learned my lesson to not judge a book by it's cover. I was thrilled with Loyalty's Web and am anxiously waiting for Joyce's new book, Illuminations of the Heart to hit the bookshelves!
To learn more about Joyce and her books, visit her website: http://www.joyce-dipastena.com/
*** If you think Loyalty's Web sounds great, then be sure to stop back the week of July 20th to enter to win an autographed copy during my Summer Time Give Away!
