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Average rating2.5
Against the seething political intrigues of twelfth-century Europe, two royal heirs surrender to passion as they vie for the English throne. At nine, Maud, an English princess, was sent to Germany to become the bride of the Holy Roman Emperor—a political alliance with a man her father’s age. At twenty-five, the widowed Maud must marry once again, this time to fourteen-year-old Geoffrey Plantagenet. But it is with Stephen of Blois, Maud’s fiercest rival for the British throne, that the headstrong princess discovers the true meaning of desire. Stephen, a descendant of William the Conqueror, believes absolutely in his God-given right to rule. Torn between his illicit passion for Maud and his own towering ambition, he knows he must choose. Stephen’s decision will wrench him from the arms of the woman he loves, ignite civil war, and lead to a shattering act of betrayal that, decades later, will come full circle and change the course of English history.
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3 primary booksThe Queens of Love and War is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 1991 with contributions by Ellen Jones.
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I finished this book last night, and needless to say I was a little disappointed in it. Instead of being a historical fiction where it expanded the characters, I felt as though she had to force things to happen, and for her writing, she wanted history to fit her needs, not necessarily relying on the facts. I was highly disappointed with not only how she portrayed Maud, but other women in the script. She seemed to have heavy male characters, but the female characters seemed flimsy. This should be classified under romance, not historical fiction.
I dont normally pick on the writing itself, but it seemed that this book, although I wouldnt let my high schooler read it, would be an easy read for anyone middle school and up. The content is not one that I would let a younger person read, but her dialog left much to be desired and her word usage was just off. I also found several typos within the book. One where she referred to Maud and her two sons, and then the next paragraph down, it referred to the three sons. It seems that someone who was proofing this book should have found some of the errors.