Velvet & steel
Ratings1
Average rating5
15
Ratings1
Average rating5
SOFT AS VELVET
Commanded to marry a Saxon heiress in order to secure her lands for his king, Norman knight Royce, Sword of William, did not expect to find the lovely creature who stood before him. Her flaxen hair billowed behind her, windswept from a recent ride. Her defiant eyes the color of cornflowers on a summer day revealed the intelligence and gentleness her awesome beauty could not hide. For once, Royce was struck speechless--and he knew that he would be the one to spark the fire that would set this maid aflame with desire.
HARD AS STEEL
He was the largest, most intense man she had ever encountered. His well-muscled chest rippled with every movement; his thick black hair fell in waves like the softest silk. But it was his gaze that both unnerved her and touched her soul. His golden eyes glanced over her body and heated her to the very core of her being. For though he was the Sword of William=-a knight so passionate and powerful on the battlefield, legends told his tale--Lynette saw the pain behind his handsome visage, and knew that she would be the one to heal the wounds of his tormented past.
Reviews with the most likes.
Despite being a short book, Byford-Jones fits a lot in. He writes in an engaging way, maintaining a level of interest throughout, which is uncommon in a travel narrative. He included a lot of historical information as well as (when written) up to date research information, but melds it well into his own travels and thoughts.
Published in 1967, this books covers a short section of his South American travel, presumably a few years prior - only a short sojourn in Bolivia, and then Peru. Picking up on the title - Peru is referred to as having four faces - those being Lima, the desert coast, the Andes and the Amazon jungle - and Byford-Jones visits them all.
From Lake Titicaca to Machu Picchu, from Nazca to tribes of Amazonian Indians. The author also spends time on the plight of the Indians, their unfair treatment by the Spanish (he reserves a fair amount of vitriol for the Spanish), and the increasing gap between the Peruvian rich and poor.
I found this book easy to read, hard to put down, and I liked the fact it covered so much of Peru in an efficient manner.
5 stars.
