The Secret Swan
Setting: England 1349Sensuality: 7With one look, 9-year-old Lady Amiranth St. Clare fell hopelessly in love with  Tristan Geraint, while Tristan never gave the girl a second glance, that is  until her family agreed to an arranged marriage. At 15, Amiranth thinks her  dreams are coming true until she overhears Tristan tell a friend that he is  marrying her only for her impeccable bloodlines. His words cut her to the bone,  and when he leaves her a week after the wedding to fight for his king in France,  she feels betrayed and abandoned. Neither of them know that Tristan will be  wounded, imprisoned, and absent from England for eight long years--years that  teach Amiranth bitter lessons about men, life, and trust.The memory of his young wife has kept Tristan sane during torture and isolation.  He returns to find a beautiful, hauntingly familiar woman who claims to be  Amiranth's cousin, Lily, and she tells him that his young wife has died in the  plague that has decimated England.Both Tristan and Amiranth (posing as Lily to escape her former life) have deep  secrets they refuse to share, and both are drawn inexorably to each other. Now  Tristan must not only accompany Amiranth to safety, but he must find a way to  retake his position as Earl of Haverlocke, a title now claimed by his younger  brother. He needs Amiranth's help to do so, and the two strike a bargain,  working together in a castle filled with intrigue and treachery. They can't  trust the nobles that surround them, but can they trust each other when eight  years apart have taught them to rely on no one but themselves?The Secret Swanis a tale of two people wedded as youthful strangers,  separated, and brought together again as adults who have been tested by time and  heartache. This deeply emotional and intense story not only has superb  characterization, but also features a terrific plot, a complex villain, and a  wonderful setting. Author Shana Abé just keeps getting better and better  with each new novel, so if you love fine historical romance, don't missThe  Secret Swan.--Lois Faye Dyer