Praise for Terri Brisbin
THE MERCENARY’S BRIDE
‘Brisbin’s latest Knights of Brittany book is just as thrilling and passionate as the rest. Brisbin excels at immersing readers in history and bringing her characters to life.’
—RT Book Reviews
THE CONQUEROR’S LADY
‘Riveting with its rich narrative, pulsing sexual tension and chilling suspense. It’s a tale of a man of passion, action and heat, and the innocent beauty who conquers him body and soul.’
—RT Book Reviews
SURRENDER TO THE HIGHLANDER
‘… rich in historical detail, laced with the perfect amount of passion, Ms Brisbin continually delivers highly satisfying romances. Don’t miss it.’
—Romance Reviews Today
TAMING THE HIGHLANDER
‘TAMING THE HIGHLANDER is a lively, frolicking tale of life in the Highlands; truly a must-read.’
—Historical Romance Writers
THE MAID OF LORNE
‘With her usual superb sense of characterisation and exceptional gift for creating sizzling sexual chemistry, Brisbin fashions a splendidly satisfying medieval historical.’
—Booklist
“So, you wish to become a nun, then?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper, teasing her ear with his breath.
“No, not a nun,” she stuttered. “But I could live a contemplative life there.” Her claim was a bold one, and one that would be refuted by most any person who knew her.
Suddenly he stood behind her, grasping her shoulders and drawing her back against him. His body was like a stone wall—all hard, with no softness to be felt anywhere. He leaned down and whispered again.
“Would you give up all that you have, Lady Sybilla? Would you be able to obey and live quietly?”
He moved one arm across her, holding her to him, while he used the other to slip into her hair and move it to one side. His breath tickled her neck now, and she tried to ease away. Instead she opened the whole of her neck to him. Exposed, held securely against him, she was vulnerable in a way she’d never felt before. She should be crying out in fear, but her body reacted most strangely—her breasts swelled under the weight of his arm, her skin tingled and yet ached for something more …
“Would you give up everything?”
Author’s Note
Although the 1066 invasion of Duke William of Normandy brought about huge changes in the politics and society of England, some of those changes were already underway. Normans had become an integral part of England during Edward the Confessor’s reign, many gaining lands and titles long before the Conqueror set foot there. So, the Saxons had some experience with Norman ways before this major invasion force landed in Pevensey in October 1066.
Many Saxons held their lands after William’s arrival—those who pledged their loyalty to the new ruler were permitted to retain them, but many were supplanted by those who’d fought for William. Important Norman nobles gained more property and often Saxon heiresses.
Thought ruthless and not hesitant about using force to implement his rule, William did not employ it fully after the Battle of Hastings until the revolt three years later in the north of England. Then, he unleashed his anger on those in what’s still called the ‘Harrowing of the North’, destroying everything in his path and effectively wiping out what was left of the Saxon way of life.
In my story, one of Harold’s sons, Edmund, appears as a leader of the rebels. ‘My’ Edmund is really a composite of several real people who lived in the aftermath of the Battle of Hastings and continued to fight the Normans as they moved from the south-east of England northwards and westwards to take control of the whole country.
It is believed that at least two of Harold’s sons did survive—or avoid—the battle that killed their father and that they and their mother joined in the efforts of some of the others opposing the Normans. The earls of Mercia and Northumbria, Harold’s brothers-by-marriage, switched sides several times during this conflict, were even taken to Normandy along with the designated Saxon heir-apparent, Edgar Atheling, and were later part of this struggle that led to William’s ‘Harrowing of the North’. So, any resemblance of ‘my’ Edmund to the real protagonists of history is intentional!
About the Author
TERRI BRISBIN has been writing romance fiction since 1995 and has more than twenty-five historical and paranormal romance novels, novellas and short stories published since then. When not living the glamorous life of a romance author in the southern New Jersey suburbs, Terri spends her time being a wife to one, mother to three as well as a dental hygienist to hundreds.
A National Readers’ Choice Award finalist, three-time RWA RITA® finalist, and winner of the NJRW Golden Leaf and Desert Rose Golden Quill, Terri is now working on more romance novels and novellas. You can visit her website for more info about the author and her work or to contact her: www.terribrisbin.com
Previous novels by the same author:
THE NORMAN’S BRIDE
THE COUNTESS BRIDE
THE EARL’S SECRET
TAMING THE HIGHLANDER
SURRENDER TO THE HIGHLANDER
POSSESSED BY THE HIGHLANDER
BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE
(short story in One Candlelit Christmas)
THE MAID OF LORNE
THE CONQUEROR’S LADY*
THE MERCENARY’S BRIDE*
and in Mills & Boon Historical Undone! eBooks:
A NIGHT FOR HER PLEASURE*
*The Knights of Brittany
HIS ENEMY’S DAUGHTER
features characters you will have met in
THE CONQUEROR’S LADY
and
