Summer's Storm by Denise Domning Series: The Graistan Chronicles #2
Published by Self-Published on August 31, 2015
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 400
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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In a world where folk are either common or noble, Temric FitzHenry, bastard of Graistan, is neither and both. If only he had met his equal, Philippa of Lindurst--also a bastard raised to noble expectations--before she had married. Then he discovers the abuse Philippa endures and his heart demands he steal her from her husband. As he does, he promises she'll never know pain with him.
Philippa cherishes each day she spends with Temric, even though she knows their love is the deepest of sins. Although Temric has hidden them well, Philippa knows their time together cannot last, that her husband will someday find them and they will pay the ultimate price for what they've done. On that day, Philippa must find the courage to defy death and reach for the happiness that is her true legacy.
Continuing with a new tale for the Fitzhenry family, the next brother to get his tale is Temric, who carries around bitterness toward his natural father, and of a battered woman whose very life depends on a lie. Denise Domning continues to dazzle with her flair for the medieval world and the colorful, engaging people and plots within that world.
Summer’s Storm is the second of The Season Series (sometimes called The Graiston Chronicles). This one continues from when the first one left off shifting to a new pair of main characters in Temric and Phillipa so the series must be read in order for much that is happening to make sense.
Temric, the natural son of Lord Henry of Graistan, is a conundrum to most people. He acts like a Lord’s son, but bears no title or lands so should be treated like a commoner. Temric bitterly believes that if his father had wished to acknowledge him then he would have been named in the will.
He stands by his brother’s side and now is sent to bring the sister of his brother’s wife to lay her testimony before the bishop in the lawsuit for Benfield property. Lady Philippa is nothing like he imagined and the truths she can tell will blow the lawsuit wide open. Her very life is in jeopardy, but he can’t help the temptation this lovely, sweet woman- as natural born as himself- even though she is married. He will do anything to save Philippa even if the laws of the church forbid it.
Philippa of Lindhurst was married while very young and innocent to a man of comely appearance, but in fact is a sadistic, jealous abuser supported by his equally evil mother. For years, she has endured the grubbing life at Lindhurst with her spirit intact, but hidden away behind a wall of dullness. She is caught between wanting to do right by her sister in refuting the lie, but knowing her death will come hard and soon if she tells the truth and deprives her grasping husband and his mother of the property and wealth it brings. Worse still, she wants what she cannot have when in Temric arms, astride his horse and in the stolen kiss they share.
Temric and Philippa’s story takes a different tone and plot direction from Rowena and Rannulf’s romance in Winter’s Heat. It actually leaves the Graistan area for a thriving market town where Temric’s widowed mother and his younger half-brothers from his mother’s marriage to a nice wool merchant reside.
Temric and Pippa share the consequence of illegitimate status that the others couldn’t understand so are drawn together in understanding.
For another, theirs is a forbidden romance of that time. In our day and age, two people whose half-siblings are married isn’t frowned upon as marriage partners nor is illegitimacy a frowned upon reason to be denied status and inheritance, either, but in the twelfth century, it was.
And, what a fun surprise, there is a magical realism element that both Temric and Philippa experience- ghostly hauntings and dreams, maybe?
Philippa suffered great abuse at the hands of husband and mother-in-law and, if I was reading it right, a squicky bit of incest between mom and son going on off to the side. The mom and son were also a whole lotta crazy, too. I was so glad she got away with Temric and was protected in her sister’s care, but figuratively biting my nails over what came next when she encountered her husband again.
In the end, Summer’s Storm was a deeply-felt medieval romance, rich in historical detail, complex characters, and relationships was another amazing read. I am eager to press forward in the Graistan world for the next romantic adventure.
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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The mom and son sound like a whole lotta crazy goin on there.
You said it. There was this one sentence when she was innocently telling her story of what it was like living at her husband’s manor and thought the abuse she went through was normal since she was married off young and my eyes bugged out (the mom was in bed with them working her son into the mood if you catch my drift) o_O
Yikes! Poor Philippa! This sounds like an intense read. Yuck on the husband and mother!
Oh yeah, that pair turned my stomach. I’m not a fan of cheating, but the situation was different back then and this gal had every reason to get out of her situation any way she could.
I can’t remember the last medieval romance I’ve read.
This was my first revisit to one in a few years. I fell off them, but its been long enough and I found this series a hit.
Glad to hear this one has you ready to read on! Great review!
Definitely a series I’m sorry I waited so long to read. 🙂