The heartbroken knight. The runaway bride. A love between them that is Forbidden! The Heartbroken Knight: Frenchman Sir Claude Montague returns to England still in love with Lady Rose after she has broken his heart eight years ago. She is now married and wants him by her side in her husband’s absence, as she is about to give birth to her first baby. He would do anything for Rose, but can he let … but can he let go of the thoughts that bind him to his past, making him wish he were her husband?
The Runaway Bride:
Lady Evelina Du Pont escapes France and travels to England in disguise, running from an unwanted betrothal to an evil lord. She wants time to find a husband on her own and is looking for a man who will be loyal, protect her, and treat her kindly. Evelina is looking for love! First posing as a nursemaid, she is accepted at Briarbeck Castle where she hunts for the perfect husband. But with the suspicious Sir Claude getting in her way, she cannot restrain herself from pointing out his flaws.
With Claude’s attention taken by the boisterous but beautiful Evelina, he finds a new home for his misplaced love. However, Claude is a knight and she is naught but a servant. Falling in love with a woman of a different status is highly forbidden.
Will a woman searching for a man to love, have her secret identity exposed by a knight who is living with a broken heart from the past? Or will the past and the future collide, causing both Claude and Evelina to change their ways before they realize the present isn’t always as it seems?
Forbidden: Claude, is the story of the son of the hero and heroine from The Baron’s Destiny – Book 3 of the Barons of the Cinque Ports Series. While it is recommended to read that book first so that no surprises will be ruined, it is a standalone book that can be read by itself without prior knowledge of any other series.
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Hard to put down, as I am finding as I read Elizabeth Rose’s books to be
I really enjoyed this story. Sir Claude leaves his castle to visit his little sister on her birthday, but he secretly longs to visit Lady Rose, the woman who holds his heart in her hands. He hasn’t been back to England since the day she married Sir Toft and broke his heart.
Lady Evelina has run away from her father, the Count DuPont of Tarbes, because he betrothed her to the cruel Lord Onfri Faucheux of Grenoble. She has hired a mercenary to travel with her from France to England as her “brother” and protector. She is posing as a lowly servant and is hired as a nursemaid for Lady Rose’s two young brothers.
Lady Rose is also very much pregnant and begs Claude to stay with her throughout the remainder of her pregnancy because both her father and husband have been summoned by the king to give their two weeks service, and Rose is frightened because she has already had two stillbirths.
Evelina accidentally speaks French, making Claude aware that she is from his own country, but Evelina is fearful of revealing herself because Claude might know her father and send her back to France. Claude quickly realizes that Evelina is hiding something and is determined to uncover her truths. His commitment to Rose means he is always in proximity with Evelina, and as they spend more and more time together, Claude’s heart is quickly torn between the two women. Eventually true love makes the decision for him.
Thank you for your review.
Forbidden: Claude, Second in Command series by Elizabeth Rose, features Claude, the son of Lord John Montague and Lady Celestine de Bar, from The Baron’s Destiny, book 3 of Barons of the Cinque Ports. In Forbidden, Claude has recently returned to England from France, where several years ago he fled heartbroken after Rose, the girl he loved married another. Rose is the daughter of Lord Conlin Braose, from The Baron’s Bounty, book 2 in the Barons series.
Claude thought he was returning to England to celebrate his younger sister’s birthday. He finds out on his arrival that Rose, now married and expecting a child, wants him, as her friend, to be nearby when her husband is absent serving the king. This is difficult for Claude as he still carries deep feelings for Rose.
Our heroine is Lady Evelina Du Pont, a runaway bride who fled from France to England, in order to escape marriage to a vile man. She disguises her true background and is accepted and hired as a nursemaid at Briarbeck Castle. Once Claude arrives, he soon notices and develops suspicions about Evelina’s true background. There is a lot of back and forth between the two, though it soon becomes apparent there is a growing attraction between them. Claude is concerned because he knows as a knight it is forbidden to love and marry a servant. There is a lot that needs to be resolved and revealed between the two before they find their HEA.
I did enjoy reading this book and quite a bit of it brought a smile to my face while reading, especially the actions, reactions, and dialogues between the two main characters. It was nice that many of the secondary characters in this book were ones I’d been previously introduced to in the Barons of the Cinque Ports books. I did find myself a little disappointed though about Claude’s character as I thought he would have “grown up” a little more in this book. It would help if one reads The Baron’s Destiny before this book, but this one is a standalone and can be read before others in the series.
Sir Claude Montague has returned to the Cinque Ports to celebrate his little sister’s birthday. Once he arrives, he is asked to protect Rose (the girl who broke his heart eight years ago) who is about to have a baby while her husband and father are at the service to the king – awkward. Lady Evelina De Pont is running away from betrothal to a horrible man, and has come to England hoping to find someone she can love and who will love her; for the moment she is hiding and pretending to be Rose’s nursemaid. When Claude and Evelina meet, they do not make good first impressions on each other. When Claude realizes he has come to care for Evelina, he feels she is forbidden to him for marriage, first because he believes her to be a servant, and then because he learns that she is betrothed. It seems Claude is destined to return to France alone, again.
There is some intrigue and a little adventure in this emotional, character-driven story. Claude needs to get past his longing for Rose. Rose might have thought through her request for Claude, of all people, to be at her side for the birth of her child. Perhaps Evelina might have shared her secret with Rose or Claude sooner. Sometimes the emotional battles of coming to adulthood are harder than those on the battlefield. This is a good one. You’ll enjoy it. You’ll want to smack Claude on the back of the head a time or two, but that’s all right, he needs it.
A superb book by Elizabeth Rose. The brave and gallant Sir Knight Claude can’t forget his first love, that is until he meets the feisty Evelina, A lady pretending to be a handmaid. The chemistry is definitely apparent between the 2 of them. I highly recommend this book.
You wont be disappointed.
Claude returns from France at the request of his mother only to find out the only woman he has ever loved has requested his return.
Rose loves her husband and is expecting their child at any moment. She wants Claude with her while her husband and father are on the King’s business.
Evelina is nursemaid for Rose’s family, but there is more to her than she is telling everyone.
Romance is just one factor that makes this story an exciting read. Elizabeth Rose has twists and turns that meets her usual highly enchanting stories. Forbidden does not disappoint at all!
The author, Elizabeth Rose, has one it again. She has taken a character from one of he Baron’s story, treated him like an adult and told us a story. Her character, Claude, has always been in love with his best friend, Rose, but she doesn’t love him. Her husband and her father have to do two weeks duty to the King and will be away from home. Rose is due to deliver anytime and she is scared…she has lost babies before and is afraid she will die and so will her baby. She wants her best friend, Claude to be with her. Claude is also a good friend of Rose’s husband and he is fully agreeable with Rose. Sounds pretty straight forward but…..is you have read Elizabeth Rose’s other works, you will know there is always a at least one twist n her stories. I read this book and I know you will find it to be a fast reading and entertaining story to pass an idle rain filled afternoon.
Love Returned.
This book contains spoilers if read before the Barons of the Cinque Ports, however it is in itself a standalone story and can be easily read with no prior knowledge. Claude who fell deeply in love in his youth must let go of his first love to find future happiness but how can he have feelings for a commoner? Lady Evelina, a French count’s daughter, is posing as a servant in order to escape her betrothal to a cruel man, but finds it difficult to keep up the pretence (particularly holding her tongue) around Sir Claude. A story that bring many past characters back together and gives Claude a happy ending. Did find some of the prose rather flowery at times and Claude himself did not particularly appeal to me as a hero.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Another great story from Ms. Rose. The hero is the next generation of one of the Barons of the Cinque Ports. It can be read as a stand alone, but it helps if you have previously read the Barons series. Good romantic angst, good plot. Enjoyed it very much.
This is the second book in the ‘ Second in Command “Series. Having read many, many books of Ms Rose, I was a little disappointed in this one. Claude was portrayed as an arrogant, rude, spoilt, little boy, and I felt he didn’t really grow up much through out the story. The story was also missing Ms Roses usual adventure. Although this can be read as a stand alone book, having read the story of Claude’s childhood and his relationship with his parents in The Baron’s Destiny “– book 3 of the Barons of the Clinque Port series would have made the story more enjoyable. It is still a nice read.
Sir Claude Montague has come back to England for the first time in years. Supposedly he left to take over his inherited holdings in France, but really it was because the girl he loved married someone else. Now his family have persuaded him to come to a celebration.
Lady Evelina Du Pont has escaped from France and an unwanted marriage. She is pretending to be a nursemaid. There is no way she will marry a man who is known for beating women. She wants to marry for love.
This story is part of a series that is best read in order, but each book can be read on it’s own. Very interesting and entertaining characters that you will easily fall in love with.