Review: Gem of Gravane
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 15, 2012
Having long been subjected to her cousins' treachery and abuse, Danielle clings to the hope that one day a knight in shining armor will come and save her from her hardships. When William the Conqueror demands she marry one of his favored knights, she hopes her new husband will be the answer to her prayers, despite Aric's hard, warrior facade. Aric was hard to like in the beginning, but part of that was Danielle being so soft-hearted and easily hurt after being cut down by her cousins for so long. Once Danielle toughened up a bit and Aric softened, I found them both very engaging and enjoyed reading their internal struggles. The way this story was told from multiple points of view, I thought was great and it really gives you a chance to see things from all angles. The secondary romance between Aric's second-in-command, Balwain, and Danielle's maid, Edie, was a nice touch. There were a few editorial errors and some questionable phrasing/syntax, but I enjoyed the unique Saxon/Norman speech, different from Scottish Highland romances that I've read. I look forward to reading Rourke's story in the next book in this series, Conquering the Dark Axe!