Emily Murdoch’s thrilling historical romances set just after the Norman invasion are now available in one collection. ‘Conquered Hearts’ includes: CONQUESTS England, 1069. The nation is still recovering from the Norman invasion three years earlier – and adjusting to life under its sometimes brutal new rulers. A young girl trembles in the shadows of what was once her home. Avis is homeless and … homeless and penniless, and with no family left alive she is forced to become a ward of Richard, the Norman lord who has taken her home. But when King William decrees that Norman lords must marry Anglo-Saxon women Avis must make a terrible choice: either marry the repulsive Richard or take a else chance on another Norman, Melville, a man she has never met. Soon she realises that survival in a time of turmoil and war depends of putting aside the prejudices of the past. And if she can do so, kingdoms and hearts can still be among her ‘Conquests’…
LOVE LETTERS
Having built a rich empire and keen to win the favour of the royal court, Hilda and Ælfgard have little time for their daughter, Catheryn. But one man, Selwyn, is intrigued by the intelligent and high-spirited girl. Selwyn sends Catheryn a love letter as a joke, disguising it as though it is from one of her father’s thanes. Catheryn is fascinated by the letter, and cannot imagine who would be capable of sending a poem of such imagination and beauty. When Selwyn offers to help Catheryn identify the mysterious suitor, she accepts, and they start to realise that they have more in common than they thought. Soon, Catheryn finds herself falling in love with Selwyn instead… But the strict hierarchy of Anglo-Saxon England stands in their way. Selwyn, a steward, could never be considered Catheryn’s equal, let alone an eligible suitor. Will they manage to stay together despite the odds? Or will duty tear Selwyn and Catheryn apart?
CAPTIVES
Normandy. 1067. Lady Catheryn, an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, is taken against her will to Normandy after the invasion. She arrives, a prisoner, at the castle of Lord Geffrei, a ruthless invader who hopes to gain a ransom for her. When Queen Matilda, William the Conqueror’s wife, sees her plight, she takes pity on her. Catheryn is sent to the castle of the noble FitzOsberns – but will her new captivity be any better than the cruelty she faced at Geffrei’s hands? She finds her hostess cold and embittered, but when her husband William FitzOsbern returns from the Conquest, Catheryn’s heart is torn by unwanted emotions. She becomes entangled in the quarrels and heartbreaks of her jailers even as she tries to remember her place among them. Is she falling in love with the man who helped to destroy her homeland?
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Strong woman finding their soul mate through tough times. They never gave up and were conquered by love in the end.
Wonderful reading
These of the books have been written ell with intriguing characters. I have enjoyed each one. Historically, they have been accurate as well.
Tragic story, war, death, prison, yet there is love sometimrs.
I read about twenty pages of each book and could not connect with the characters or the story. Someone else may like them, but I couldn’t read any more.
Was ok
boring
Really worth reading!
I originally listened to the three stories in audiobook format and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. This is what I said in my reviews:
1. Conquests: Hearts Rule Kingdoms
I looked at the title of this book and its cover picture and couldn’t work out what story it would tell. That had me hooked and I knew I had to find out.
Well, its a love story about two very different people who are forced to get married by a decree from King William even though they do not know one another.
The game as played out by Avis and Melville in their quest to survive is amazing, neither realizing that they have fallen in love.
Emily Murdoch has written a truly outstanding historical romance that is clean, well thought out, factual and totally gripping. What an amazing adventure life for these two people turns out to be.
2. Conquests: Love Letters
Oh my word. This is such a sweet and romantic love story and I simply loved every second of it. What a pleasure!
This is the second in the series and is considerably shorter than the first one and it is a stand-alone.
The main characters held their own and each showed different yet very endearing strengths.
I must say that I had a bit of difficulty to begin with with the names of that period but that is only because they are unfamiliar to my modern day ear and I quickly got used to them so that wasn’t a real problem.
3. Captives: Kingdoms Rule Hearts
This part of the story is from the mother, Lady Catheryn’s perspective and it tells of her capture, imprisonment and hunt for her daughter, Avis.
This story, as with the others in this series, is a well written adventure telling of the hardships of that era and how people managed to survive it. It also tells of love and caring and the attempts of some of the people to better their lots in life as well as that of others around them.
These reviews are my voluntary and unbiased thoughts on these stories and I am happy to recommend this set.
Conquests is a heart-rending romance that takes place just after the Norman invasion in 1066. The Anglo Saxons have been slaughtered and their homes destroyed. Is it any wonder that when Avis finds herself with an ultimatum to either marry her despicable guardian Richard, or the dark, threatening Melville, that she resents having to make the choice. Both of them are the enemy of her people. The lesser of the two evils is Melville, however the road is paved with every conceivable hindrance to a happy marriage. As Avis and Melville struggle to come to terms with the marriage they find themselves in, unrest continues on all sides. The story is sad in that the aftermath of war always leaves devastation. Nevertheless, Avis is strong and she finds ways to cope, even as Melville flounders as he tries to understand the woman who is now under his protection. The story didn’t always flow easily and I was confused at times as the narrative jumped around a bit, and I had reread a couple of paragraphs to understand the context. Nevertheless, all the makings of a good romance were there and the characters are very lovable.
Love Letters: In this prologue to the series, Childhood friends meet again after a number of year of being separated and in their own way, both of them have changed. Selwyn has watched Catheryn from afar, and at first glance he does not like the woman she has become and decides to remind her of the friendship they once shared. However, things don’t go as planned and feelings get hurt. Selwyn is a servant in her father’s household he knows the risks that showing his hand will incur. However, over the days and months that ensue, the childhood friends realise that the core of their relationship remains and Selwyn makes his stand, knowing that his future is on the line. This is a truly delightful medieval romance written in the style of the period where maidens remained innocent and their suitors wrote love poems expressing their feelings.
Captives is a well written and well researched historical novel with elements of romance. I grew up reading medieval romance and poetry, and the period is usually bathed in a glow of romanticism and the true love of a knight for his lady. In reality, it was one of the harshest and most brutal of periods, when the life expectancy of a soldier was short and the real sufferers were the women and children left behind, even more so if you had the misfortune of being on the side of the conquered. Lady Catheryn is taken captive and despite having value as a political prisoner, she is treated with the utmost destain and cruelty. It is only when King William and his prospective Queen visit the fortress where she is being kept, and they discover her condition, that she finds some relief as she is transferred to a more humane stronghold. Life gets easier for Catheryn, but her sorrow and anguish over the whereabouts of her daughter do not diminish one bit. With time she becomes valuable to her hosts but their distrust and disrespect do not change. When Lord FitzOsbern returns from war, there is an instant connection and affinity between Catheryn and Fitz, but it could never be acted upon. Times becomes more troubled for the family and Catheryn is caught in the middle. It is only when the greatest loss comes that Catheryn is eventually released to embark on a quest to find her daughter. Captives is a realistic reflection of the times, and leaves one with a feeling of melancholy. However, it is a tribute to the indomitable spirit of a woman and a mother who will do anything to find her child. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.