Arrow to the Heart [Mass Market Paperback]

Jennifer Blake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 1995

Around two of the most wonderful characters she has ever created, Jennifer Blake spins an utterly passionate story set within a steamy, languorous time and place: nineteenth-century Louisiana, where a Southern version of the medieval court of love still flourished ....

Arrow To The Heart

Their marriage merged two of Louisiana's most prominent families. But after five years, Katrine remained untouched in body and heart, her husband unable to fulfill his wish to produce an heir. For the sake of that goal, Giles would allow his wife to be bedded by the noble man who won the annual tournament of champions, a medieval contest held on the grounds of Arcadia, his magnificent estate.

The honor fell to Rowan de Blanc, who had his own secret reason for joining the games. Katrine refused to submit to her husband's insane demands, no matter how devastatingly attractive her chosen partner. Succumbing to temptation would mean defeat for them both... until love and desire interfered with their best intentions ....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Blake ( Wildest Dreams ) is at her best in this historical romance, a fine piece of unashamed escapism set in antebellum Louisiana. Katrine Castlereagh is dutiful wife to the mysteriously incapacitated Giles, whose mad desire for an heir leads to a dastardly scheme to mate her with the victor of his yearly medieval-style tournament. True-hearted Rowan de Blanc comes to the tourney for reasons of his own: believing Katrine to be responsible for his half-brother's death, he wants to learn more about her. Although attracted to each other, the pair refuse to fulfill Giles's plan--so he imprisons them, naked, in a tower on the grounds of his estate. They decide to cheat Giles by becoming lovers but avoiding pregnancy, thanks to Rowan's training in Arabian techniques of "self-control." True love and sensuality are awakened, only to be threatened by a fire in the tower. Blake's language is as lush and sensual as her protagonists' affair, although there are too many porcelain-edged teeth and coral-rose nipples, and the sex is so prodigious and frequent that it begins to bore. However, the intriguing combination of passion and intellect in both Katrine and Rowan gives some edge to a story satisfyingly capped by several neat plot twists.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Blake's latest clanking steam calliope of a period romance takes place in 19th-century Louisiana--familiar territory to the author of Love and Smoke (Blake's 1989 hardcover debut), Joy and Anger, Wildest Dreams and many paperback palpitations. Here, the cosmic coupling of a reluctant (married) virgin and the hero is brought about in the trappings of a medieval estate, complete with tournaments, a Court of Love, and a tower. Katrina has been wed five years to older, colder Giles Castlereigh; the marriage has not been consummated, but Giles desperately wants an heir. (What is the problem? Gay? Sterile? Incomplete? Nope. But the tell-all won't occur until the last few crowded pages.) Meanwhile, Giles enjoys playing the lord of the manor with a staging of medieval games and Court of Love discussions at dinner; he is also choosing a champion to sire his child with Katrina. Then arrives Rowan de Blanc--the great swordsman, archer, etc.--essentially to find the murderer of his brother. Katrina is appalled at Giles's plan, and after pages of talk about it all (a battle of wits with very dull blades), Giles, growing impatient, seals the pair, naked, in a tower room. Still, there are yards of doubt to go before the two do their Blakean soaring. At the close, there'll also be: a strangled young girl; a dual killing; a spate of confessions; and a final elopement. Compared with Amanda Quick's Deception (see below), this is sluggish and shows all its gears--on autopilot for the fans, then, who are legion. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Ivy Books (June 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449147347
• ISBN-13: 978-0449147344
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,854,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jennifer Blake has been called "the steel magnolia of women's fiction" for her enduring career as an author. She has also been lauded as a "pioneer of the romance genre" and an "icon of the romance industry." A New York Times and international best selling author from the publication of "Love's Wild Desire" in 1977, she is a charter member of Romance Writers of America, member of the RWA and Affaire de Coeur Halls of Fame, and recipient of the RWA Lifetime Achievement Rita. She holds numerous other honors, including two Maggies, two Holt Medallions, multiple Reviewer's Choice awards, the Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times BookReviews Magazine, and the Frank Waters Award for literary excellence. She has written 65 books with translations in 20 languages and more than 30 million copies in print. Jennifer and her husband live on a lake in northern Louisiana.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Reading, April 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Arrow to the Heart (Mass Market Paperback)

Arrow to the Heart is a wonderfully written book. It had suspense, romance, and betrayal. Katrine makes a wonderful change from a passive wife to a woman with a mind of her own due to the fact that she is pushed into something she doesn't want to do, but finding she likes it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Jennifer Blake, August 7, 2000

By 

J. Austin "jodylync" (Dublin, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arrow to the Heart (Mass Market Paperback)

Katrine is married to an older man Giles who can not perform his marriage duties and get an heir upon his wife. So he arranges a tournament in which, unbeknownst to the all, the winner will be the man to produce an heir with Katrine. Enter Rowan. Handsome and skilled, destined to be the winner. But he is here for other reasons. The year before his brother was found dead. He believes that Katrine knows why. In the midst of Rowan trying to find out the mystery of his brother's death, Giles tries frantically to push Katrine and Rowan together so he can have his long awaited heir. This story is a marvelous whodunit with enough romance, suspense, and sexual tension to keep any reader hooked. I liked Rowan right off, but Katrine seemed too cool at first, until I realized that she wasn't being difficult. She was merely trying to protect a friend. Very enjoyable.

2.0 out of 5 stars older story not to my liking, August 9, 2010

By 

Kasmuch19 "Kasmuch19" (Indiana, usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arrow to the Heart (Paperback)

This is my first time reading this author and if all of her books are like this one, it will be my last. My library copy is from 1993, so even considering that and making allowances for writing back then I think this was bad. Above is the summary so I'll get straight to my review.

Pros: I think the plot was fairly well thought out. I couldn't see any major plot holes. The characters were well described. The time period/location was unique. The author did a really good job at keeping you guessing as to who committed the crime.

********SPOILERS BELOW!!!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK********


Cons: Katrine's (heroine) reason for not telling Rowan(hero) about his brother's death was absolutely pathetic. An honor vow for knowing nothing? Plus its not as if Musetta was discreet. Everyone knew about Perry.

I don't know whether it's the authors style or what, but the language and especially the dialogue is horrible. I freely admit I didn't understand a few conversations what with the flowery and purple prose. One example that kept sticking out was the word "species"- "Driven by a species of despairing anger, he had taken everything she had to give, given everything he had inside him." pg 282.

I agree with Stacey Renee that the sex was rather long and did get boring after a while. Repetitive. From pg 194 to 243 you have 33 pages of those devoted to sex and intimacy. With another love scene about 7 pages long later in the book. The latter one being in bad taste if you ask me- with Katrine's ill/dying husband laying on the other side of a connecting door.

Did Musetta share Giles' love or was it just one sided? It was never really clarified. Also, didn't Katrine say that Musetta was not that stupid to flirt so obviously with someone she was sleeping with? But supposedly she was or was doing everything, but sleeping with the men she was flirting with. At least with Terrence.

The last little gripe is: When is the story set? We get indicators like it not being Louisiana yet. However, those like myself who are not into history would appreciate a date to start the story.
********END SPOILERS********

You would think with being locked in a tower and attempted murders this story would be exciting however it was quite dull and boring. Nothing really happened until half way through and as Stacey Renee said the mystery isn't a focus until the last 2 or 3 chapters. Overall I would say it might be great for its time, but definitely not my preference.

If you are looking for something similar I would recommend Lisa Kleypas' Vallerand series:
When Strangers Marry(book 1)
Only With Your Love (book 2)