Day 10
The Lady and the Minstrel
by Joyce DiPastena
14 Days of Romance Valentine's Day Book Blitz Event
I absolutely LOVE Author Joyce DiPastena's medieval historical fiction. All of her characters come to life, and have you laughing and crying right along side them. I haven't gotten to read this one yet, but I'll be snagging my copy very soon!!!
Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist).
When she’s not writing, Joyce loves to read, play the piano, and spend time with her sister and friends. A highlight of her year is attending the annual Arizona Renaissance Festival .
Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.
In 13th century England, Robert Marcel chafes against the law that holds him bound as a villein on his lord’s manor. He tries to make a daring escape and is nearly caught by his cruel master, but a young girl helps him slip away.
Years pass and Robert takes up trade as a minstrel. Invited to play at a banquet for the notorious Earl of Saxton, he is stunned to come face to face with the girl he’s never forgotten—now Lady Marguerite of Winbourne, betrothed to the earl. Her status as a noblewoman puts her completely out of Robert’s reach, but he knows they are meant to be together. He vows to make her his wife no matter what the cost.
Lady Marguerite has often thought of the young man she helped escape. Her tender feelings for him quickly turn into much more when they are brought back into each other’s lives. She longs to be free to marry Robert, the man she loves, but that will require her to sacrifice all she holds dear.
They are tested at every turn by those bent on driving them apart and destroying what they have found together. Can their love truly conquer all?
Go check out Joyce Dipastena's pages
Website: http://www.joyce-dipastena.com
Blog: http://jdp-news.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJoyceDiPastena
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoyceDiPastena
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/899999.Joyce_DiPastena
PInterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jdipastena/
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And hop around on today's blogs to learn even more about this great book and author
I absolutely LOVE Author Joyce DiPastena's medieval historical fiction. All of her characters come to life, and have you laughing and crying right along side them. I haven't gotten to read this one yet, but I'll be snagging my copy very soon!!!
Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist).
When she’s not writing, Joyce loves to read, play the piano, and spend time with her sister and friends. A highlight of her year is attending the annual Arizona Renaissance Festival .
Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.
The back cover blurb:
In 13th century England, Robert Marcel chafes against the law that holds him bound as a villein on his lord’s manor. He tries to make a daring escape and is nearly caught by his cruel master, but a young girl helps him slip away.
Years pass and Robert takes up trade as a minstrel. Invited to play at a banquet for the notorious Earl of Saxton, he is stunned to come face to face with the girl he’s never forgotten—now Lady Marguerite of Winbourne, betrothed to the earl. Her status as a noblewoman puts her completely out of Robert’s reach, but he knows they are meant to be together. He vows to make her his wife no matter what the cost.
Lady Marguerite has often thought of the young man she helped escape. Her tender feelings for him quickly turn into much more when they are brought back into each other’s lives. She longs to be free to marry Robert, the man she loves, but that will require her to sacrifice all she holds dear.
They are tested at every turn by those bent on driving them apart and destroying what they have found together. Can their love truly conquer all?
Go check out Joyce Dipastena's pages
Website: http://www.joyce-dipastena.com
Blog: http://jdp-news.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJoyceDiPastena
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoyceDiPastena
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/899999.Joyce_DiPastena
PInterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jdipastena/
***SNIPPET***
In this snipped, Marguerite reacts to the status of women in
the Middle Ages. Which I completely agree with her on every point!
Tears of frustration burned and drove Marguerite to lash out
beneath Robert’s softened gaze.
“That is all a woman is. A slave, a bit of property. But you
are a man, you would not understand.”
His chin jutted slightly up, as though she had dealt him
some blow. He watched her for a moment, his chest as steady as she felt hers
heaving in resentment against him and the entire male race. Then suddenly he
grinned that grin that transformed his dark face with light and quieted her
breast by stealing away her breath.
“I am a man, it is true, but I am very much your servant.
You have but to command me to see me obey.”
She did not quite know how but she found herself seated
again on the log and Robert on one knee before her in the frosty bracken,
waiting as though for his king . . . or queen . . . to charge him with some
great quest.
She laughed before she could stop herself. “No one obeys me,
sir. But if you are in earnest, then . . . then . . .”
He cocked an inquisitive brow as she trailed off. This was
her chance, but the words did not want to come. To send him away so soon felt
more than she could bear. When she gnawed on her lip in silence, he shifted
himself to sit at her feet and link his hands around his knees. His gaze rested
keen upon her face.
“Why are you not wed? Truly, lady. Your
grandfather, I am told, has lain dead these past three years. Why has your
father waited so long to command you? Or has there been an understanding
between him and the earl all this long while?”
And hop around on today's blogs to learn even more about this great book and author
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