Aric of Burkhart swears he will never marry again, he
will never love again, after he caught his betrothed in
flagrante delicto. He is drowning his sorrows at an
inn,
and who but King Henry himself drop in. King Henry
suspects his sons will rebel against him, and fears harm
could come to his beloved illegitimate daughter
Rosamunde. The King has always liked Aric, a knight, and
he trusts Aric is just the man who will protect his
daughter, and so Aric will marry Rosamunde. Or else.
Because His Majesty said so.
Rosamunde, after her
mother's death, was sent to a convent. She is about to
take the veil the following day, but her plans have
changed; instead she must marry Aric, a man she has never
even heard of—although of pleasant
countenance—and
being an obedient girl, Rosamunde agrees.
Woven loosely around historical facts, ALWAYS is on many
levels somewhat different from the usual fare, maybe
because it is a reissue from several years ago. Religion
is present to a point, as it was in everyday life in
1189, when the story is set. Aric is a good man: honest,
well-meaning but grumpy and a tad jealous. Rosamunde is
innocent and ignorant of the ways of the world, and the
instructions on how marital relations take place are
given to her by a nun, and with what Rosamunde has
witnessed in the barnyard. Rosamunde and Aric's wedding
night is unlike anything I've ever read before. To put it
mildly, it is quite interesting, and absolutely
hilarious.
Rosamunde is one of the loveliest characters Lynsay Sands
has ever written. She is truly adorable, chatty,
cheerful, full of life, unlike Aric who is a man of very
few words and of a neutral disposition. He is slightly
overwhelmed by Rosamunde's enthusiasm, especially her
obsession with the stables and taking care of animals, at
which she is particularly gifted. Animals are featured
prominently in ALWAYS, and very cleverly, not in a cute
sugary-sweet way. Readers should not be deterred by the
"obeisance" issue, as Rosamunde is very creative in
keeping her vows, all the while not behaving childishly.
ALWAYS could have been a tad shorter, in my opinion, but
Rosamunde is such an endearing and genuinely lovable
character. ALWAYS has
political intrigue, a touch of mystery, lovely writing,
delicious steamy scenes, and of course, a gorgeous
romance!
New York Times bestselling author Lynsay
Sands returns
with the unforgettable story of a reluctant bride and
groom who soon find common ground in the bedroom . . .
Bastard daughter to the king, Rosamunde was raised in a
convent and wholly prepared to take the veil . . . until
King Henry declared she would wed Aric, one of his most
valiant knights. Suddenly she found herself promising to
love, honor, and obey.
Rosamunde's education had not covered a wedding night,
but the handsome warrior she was now bound to seemed
intent on giving her a lesson in the art of pleasure. In
no time, Aric was certain she would surrender to the
irresistible passion he promised.
And while Rosamunde's spirited nature often put her at
odds with her new husband, his mastery in seduction was
quickly melting her resolve—and capturing her heart.
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