This was a great book filled with suspense, action, and romance. Rowan takes on the impossible task of uniting the tribes of Lanconia. But first he must marry a Lanconian woman and what better way to do that then by having the woman from the various tribes compete in games of skills and strengths to win him for a husband. As you could imagine some of the prospects for bride are truly terrifying but thankfully for Rowan the lovely Jura wins him. Jura struggles with finding out where her loyalties and heart really lie. It was a pleasure reading how Rowan softens and wins over the headstrong Jura. A really addicting read that I thoroughly enjoyed! ( )

Not your typical romance novel

I've read the reviews online and am a little surprised at how poorly the book is rated. I've never read an Jude Deveraux before, but 'inherited' this and decided to read it before I list it on Bookmooch. I didn't expect to really like it much, as I expected it was your typical romance...boy meets girl...they hate each other...they love each other...they hate each other...they end up together living happily ever after; with a lot a steamy scenes in between. Since I find typical 'romance' novels pretty boring, but a quick read, that's what I expected. As others have mentioned, both negatively and positively, this is not your 'typical' romance novel. It had all the elements, though maybe a bit less 'steam' than some. But it also had a bit more depth. The prince, separated from King daddy at an early age, was brought home and given the mission to unite the tribes....a seemingly impossible task. And of course, they tribes hate and distrust each other, to the point that to wander into the territory of another is almost certain death! The Prince also has to guard against his half-brother who considers the throne rightfully his. And inconveniently, the heroine, who becomes Queen when she marries the Prince, is the half-sister of the half-brother of the new King! She spends much of the novel learning where her loyalties lie!. So you have suspense, action, romance....all in one book!
I have a few other Jude Deveraux books I 'inherited' with this one, and after The Maiden, I'm looking forward to them. But based on what I've read here, I'll likely be disappointed, since this book was apparently, not typical of her works! ( )

Yet another book where I look back and ask myself, "why did I read this?" This book is very true to Deveraux's style: an overbearing man disrupts the heroine's life, and the author tries to convince us that they're really in love. Not even nostalgia can earn this book more than a star and a half from me -- and the rating is only that high because Rowan wasn't as horrifyingly abusive as some of Deveraux's other "heroes" have been. ( )

Als Rowan, een Engelse prins, naar het middeleeuwse Lanconia wordt geroepen om de op sterven liggende koning op te volgen, is het volk vreselijk verontwaardigd. Vooral Jura, een beeldschone, eigengereide krijgsvrouw, is woedend. Het is niet eerlijk! Haar broer Geralt, een trotse strijder, heeft recht op de troon, niet deze onbekende indringer.

Dan ontdekt Jura dat de mysterieuze man die ze onlangs bij de rivier ontmoette niemand minder is dan de gehate prins Rowan. Woest verklaart ze haar vijandschap aan de blonde prins, die haar dagen kwelt, maar haar nachten bezielt. Haar trouw ligt bij haar volk, niet bij deze oplichter.

Maar niets weerhoudt Rowan van zijn taak de strijdende stammen te herenigen en niets weerhoudt hem ook van zijn grootste doel: het veroveren van de wilde, adembenemende Jura, zijn liefde, zijn vrouw, zijn koningin. ( )