ONCE A BRIDE

Author: Shari Anton ISBN: 0446612278 4/2004 Medieval Publisher: Warner Forever

My Enemy, My Love To Eloise Hamelin of Lelleford, 'tis the stuff of nightmares: Her betrothed dies on the church steps. Her beloved father disappears after being charged with treason. And the king places her home in the hands of a knight she loathes…and longs for. To Roland St. Marten, 'tis the worst hell to oversee Lelleford. Its mistress, Eloise, treats him not as her new lord but as an unwanted guest. And yet in the heat of their clashes-about her father's whereabouts, about a woman's place-he's drawn to her loyalty and her fire. Any love between them would bring Roland nothing but ruin. For how could he remain true to the king and still taste Eloise's exquisite temptation?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I love Medievals, but I am the first to admit that I hold them to a high standard. Such a dark historical period needs a very intriguing love story in order to pique my interest, enough to stick with the story.

ONCE A BRIDE is a plot driven story which normally I love, but this one drags. After 100 pages, I was still wondering who the hero and heroine really were. I wish there had been a little more insight into what made them tick in order to draw me in.

The premise of the story, treason and betrayal, is very appealing, and Shari Anton does a good job with detail of Medieval life and feudalism. When Eloise discovers her father must flee after being suspected of treason, Eloise must surrender the holding to the evil Earl Kenworth and release the leadership of the lands to Roland St. Marten, the brother of the man she was to marry. Hugh St. Marten died during the wedding service on bad terms with his brother, who did not deem Eloise worthy to marry his brother.

I found myself drawn more to the descriptive scene then the actual love story between Eloise and Roland. When they finally fall into each others arms, somewhere after page 200, I didn't feel the earth move for them. The secondary characters I found to be much more interesting and 3-dimensional. Rolands squire, Timothy, and Eloise' maid, Isolde, were worthy of their own story.

If you are looking for a slow-paced, slow burning romance, then ONCE A BRIDE may be to your liking. I however, found it lacking.

Lisa Munoz