In the Shadow of the
Storm
The King's Greatest Enemy
#1
By Anna Belfrage
By Anna Belfrage
Adam
de Guirande owes his lord, Roger Mortimer, much more than loyalty. He owes Lord
Roger for his life and all his worldly goods, he owes him for his beautiful
wife – even if Kit is not quite the woman Lord Roger thinks she is. So when
Lord Roger rises in rebellion against the king, Adam has no choice but to ride
with him – no matter what the ultimate cost may be.
England in 1321 is a confusing place. Edward II has been forced by his barons
to exile his favourite, Hugh Despenser. The barons, led by the powerful Thomas
of Lancaster, Roger Mortimer and Humphrey de Bohun, have reasons to believe
they have finally tamed the king. But Edward is not about to take things lying
down...
Adam fears his lord has over-reached, but Adam has other matters to concern
him, first and foremost his new wife, Katherine de Monmouth. His bride comes
surrounded by rumours concerning her and Lord Roger, and he hates it when his
brother snickers and whispers of used goods.
Kit has the misfortune of being a perfect double of Katherine de Monmouth –
which is why she finds herself coerced into wedding a man under a false
name.
Domestic matters become irrelevant when the king sets out to punish his
rebellious barons. The Welsh Marches explode into war, and soon Lord Roger and
his men are fighting for their very lives. When hope splutters and dies, when
death seems inevitable, it falls to Kit to save her man – if she can.
In the Shadow of the Storm is the first in Anna Belfrage’s new series, The
King’s Greatest Enemy, the story of a man torn apart by his loyalties to his
lord, his king, and his wife.
There is no greater
crime than to overthrow a King.
But what if that King
were corrupt? What if he threatened the very security of the kingdom he ruled?
Abducted
and imprisoned against her will, Kit has no one to turn to for help. Lady
Cecily de Monmouth, a stranger, has announced that Kit is to take the place of
her half-sister — a sister Kit knew nothing about — and marry Adam de Guirande.
If Kit refuses, not only will she be labelled a bastard, but the tenants of
Kit’s beloved childhood home of Tresaints will also be made destitute. She has
no choice.
Adam
de Guirande has heard many rumours about the daughter of Thomas de Monmouth —
she is a wayward woman of loose morals. However, his wife is not like this at
all. Katherine is no shrew. No wanton. In fact, Katherine is the complete
opposite of what he had been expecting. It was as if she were a different
person altogether. Much to his surprise, Adam finds himself falling in love
with his bride.
While
Adam puzzles over his wife’s true identity, war is rumbling on the horizon. It
is the utmost betrayal to bear arms against the sovereign King. Those who do,
never die well. However, Adam’s Lord, the powerful Roger Mortimer, demands such
a sacrifice. Edward II is a weak man and an appalling ruler. The time has come
to free England of this pathetic weakling. But they all know that Edward will
not surrender his throne willingly. Adam’s greatest fear is that Edward will not
submit at all. If that is the case, then may God have mercy on their souls…
From
the marital bed to the Tower of London, In the Shadow of the Storm: The King’s
Greatest Enemy #1 by Anna Belfrage is one of the most compelling Medieval Historical Romances that I have ever read.
From
the gripping opening line, I was hooked. Belfrage has penned an utterly
enthralling account of a very turbulent time in British history.
Belfrage
has the unique ability to make people who have been dead for almost 700 years
breathe again. With a keen eye for historical detail, Belfrage brings not only
a sensitivity to her narrative, but she writes as if she were a custodian of
the history. The time, this place, these people, are safe in Belfrage’s capable
hands.
Belfrage’s
ability to combine a great story with a wonderful historically accurate
backdrop — with all the dangers of rebellion and the threat of death and
torture, as well as the lighter moments of first love, marriage and a growing
family — makes In The Shadow Of A Storm a vastly entertaining tale which is
incredibly difficult to put down. There are enough twists in this book to keep
the reader on their toes, and wanting — no, begging — for more.
Adam
and Kit make the perfect protagonists for this incredibly emotional tale of
love, war, betrayal and death. Belfrage paints a dazzling portrait, filled with adventure,
romance and intimacy. They are unforgettable characters embroidered into the
backdrop of a dangerous and unpredictable time in which their tale is set. I
adored both of them. The trials and tribulations that Adam suffers made me care
for him as a character even more than I thought I would. He isn’t a perfect
man, and he doesn’t pretend to be, but he does try to do what is right, and he
is willing to learn from his mistakes. Adam has no easy time of it — he
experiences the most horrific things. But not once does he let it break him,
which is what made him so appealing, and so very likeable. Like Adam, Kit is a brave and determined protagonist. She is resolute that her husband will
come home. Kit’s courage matches his. She is a woman in a man’s world, and yet,
she will do anything to secure Adams life. Kit is the epitome of what a
protagonist should be.
Adam
and Kit’s goodness, their sense of fairness, is sorely tested when they are put
up against the corrupt and evil, Hugh Despenser. Despenser was a character that
I despised with every fibre of my being. He considers himself untouchable
because of his favoured position with the King, and therefore his arrogance
knows no bounds. He is a malicious and cruel man. His actions are utterly
deplorable. Despenser is the kind of character that makes you want to throw the
book across the room in outrage, only to instantly pick it up again, so you can
find out what he is going to do next! As a historical character, Despenser was
fabulously portrayed. And although we may never know the depth of his crimes —
for it is the winner who gets to write history — I thought his characterisation
was in keeping with the stories and the records about him from that time.
I
cannot praise this book enough. I loved every word, every syllable, and every
sentence. When historical romance is written this way, there is no such thing
as too many pages. This is a must read if ever there was one.
I
Highly Recommend.
Review
by Mary Anne Yarde.
The
Coffee Pot Book Club.
Anna
Belfrage
Had Anna
been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was
impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests:
history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The
Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well
as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set
in 14th century England. She has recently released
the first in a new series, The Wanderer. This time, she steps out of her normal
historical context and A Torch in His Heart is with a fast-paced contemporary
romantic suspense with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.
Find out
more about Anna by visiting her website,
or herAmazon page.
Wow...I am rarely struck mute, but a review like this one, well... Wow. Thank you, Mary Anne!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful review, Anna.
ReplyDelete