Winter's Heat by Denise Domning Series: The Graistan Chronicles #1
Published by Self-Published on August 31, 2015
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 390
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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Her years in a nunnery taught Rowena of Benfield many things, but not how to be a wife to the powerful lord who claimed her as his bride. She vows never to submit to this aloof and ruthless man who claims her.
Rannulf of Graistan has been a woman's fool once before and has sworn to never be again, but he cannot refuse the rich estate that this marriage brings him
Years ago, I spotted a medieval romance and one-clicked it onto my Kindle shelf. I did the same for each consecutive book in the series. Then it languished. I even read a connected historical mystery series which got me briefly determined to progress on to this series. Then, I was distracted. However, thanks to our Series on Sundays challenge, I have finally taken the plunge into talented Denise Domning’s 12th century medieval world.
Winter’s Heat is the first in series. The series goes by two titles- the Graistan Chronicles or the Seasons series. It has a related historical mystery series set in same time, Servant of the Crown, a follow up duology for the next generation, Children of Graistan, and a distant follow up about descendants of Graistan with The Elizabeth Lady series.
All that to say, this is the best place to start one’s first encounter with Denise Domning’s medieval historicals. I was struck in the Servant of the Crown series by her attention to historical detail that built up a powerful mental image of twelfth century life across the class spectrums from village serf to high lords and ladies. She gives no less to her characters and plots so that background and story mesh and pace out well.
Winter’s Heat opens when a woman is dragged by her father from the convent in which she voluntarily committed herself so she could be married off to a wealthy lord. Rowenna knew from her earliest awareness that her own mother hated her and doted on her older, gorgeous sister while her father was indifferent at best to her while hating his wife and oldest daughter. Now, her father, in a gleeful decision to thwart his wife has dowered his wife’s property on Rowenna making her a prize to the unknown Lord Graistan. Turns out her spoiled and pampered sister was not her father’s first born, but only being passed off as such by her mother so all that her mother brought into her marriage will go to her hated daughter.
Rowenna wants nothing to do with her parents’ spats or to be bartered off in marriage, but she reluctantly decides to give the handsome lord a chance- until he freezes her out on their wedding night and makes it clear he’s only after the lands and wealth she can bring him. He dumps her at his main estate before going off to answer the king’s call to arms. Rowenna is no wilting miss and pushes up her sleeves to take the household and estate in hand, forced to wade into situations of intrigue by some who are taking advantage of Lord Graistan’s distraction. The neglected way the Graistan holdings are held challenge her talents and skill so her lordly husband may not recognize his own home when he returns.
Rannulf is a twice-widowed man who lost wives and mother to childbirth, but the second wife left him determined never to let a woman get past his emotional wall again. He weds Rowenna because her father dangled a huge prize that he can’t resist to shore up his own family’s holdings and wealth. He was stunned to discover that the woman he first meets the day of their marriage isn’t what he thought. Knowing most women are wed at fifteen or sixteen years old, this one was now over twenty and readying to take her vows so he thought she was ugly or had some issue. But no, the tart-tongued fiery female who challenges him from the start is a punch to his iced over senses and forces him to re-engage with life. But, there are others who would just as soon things remain as they’ve always been and will do what it takes to keep it that way.
A dramatic, fiery romance, the harsh realities of the medieval times, family struggles and clever intrigues made this a riveting read. I’ve definitely caught the fever for more from the Seasons series and recommend it heartily to other medieval romance fans.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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Great review. Glad you finally got to read this and are working on the Sunday series challenge.
Yes! The challenge is really helping me get around to these older series on my shelves. 🙂
That sounds good. I hope the other books are good too.
So exciting! I’ve already read the second one and it was another winner. 🙂
This one sounds good, although I don’t know when I’d ever get to it. Good for you for clearing out those older series!
Haha, that’s the trick! I put all these books on my Kindle when I spot them free or really reduced and then have no idea when I’ll actually read them. But, yes, I’m so glad to finally get to this particular series. I’m really impressed and can’t wait to read on.
This sounds so good! I’ll have to see if they have an audio version!
Glad to tempt you, Rachel. I suspect there’s not, but maybe…
“riveting read” ooooo.
Oh yes, this series is really making me sit up and take notice.
Sounds like a winner for you! Hopefully you’ll enjoy the rest of the series as well.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner! LOL It sure was, Lisa.