Customer Reviews

Champion Of The Heart (Zebra Historical Romance)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In fourteenth century England, Lord Mercer gives up everything, including his lands and title, to protect the identity of a murderer. His lands were forfeited to Lord Vaughn, whetting a desire for revenge in his son Fox, because Lord Vaughn is the father of his best friend Evan. Indeed, Fox believes his friends, both Evan and Jordan Ruvane, have turned their backs on him.

Ten years later, Fox becomes known as the Black Fox, in the tradition of Robin Hood, robbing the neighborhood to feed his people. His antics are specifically aimed at annoying his former friend Evan. Despite the fact that he's perceived to be an outlaw, a thief, and an outcast, Fox disguises himself and enters a tournament for Lady Jordan's hand. Fox's unexpected win results in his capture and imprisonment. When he escapes, he takes Jordan hostage, promising her release only in return for his family's title and lands.

Jordan's unexpected courage and compassion, especially for children, touches Fox's heart. While he wants to harden his heart against her, he can't the resist the temptation she presents. Unfortunately, Fox refuses to believe her protestations that she never turned her back on him. As they fall in love, however, they both must face the past and devastating truths of betrayal, greed, and cruelty. As dark secret comes to light, Fox must forget revenge if he wants Jordans.

CHAMPION OF THE HEART captures the reader's heart from the first page and never lets go. With rich characterization and motivation carefully revealed, the novel recreates an era of passion and cruelty, of vengeance and turmoil, and of secrets exposed. While the plot echoes traditional formulas, the fresh details and depth of characterization present a unique twist resulting in a memorable tale. A keeper, CHAMPION OF THE HEART is very highly recommended.

It was a fast read for me. The reason it is not a 5 star is because I feel that the hero and heroine could have been alittle steamier and there were parts that really needed a bit of a reality check. All in all though, it was a good storyline and I'd probably read it again.

I though this book was easy to read and finish in just one afternoon. The story starts when the hero and the heroine are both children (13 or so) and Fox Mercer's father is dishonored and looses his title, his money and his lands because he will not tell who really killed a baron who was a close friend of the kings. The h/h are best friends but are torn from each other only to meet up again 10 years later when she is to be the prize for a tournament and he shows up even though he has now become the outlaw known as the Black Fox. He wins but is thrown in the dungeon but escapes and takes Jordan, the heroine, with him. He tries to keep his anger at her betrayal 10 years before but he finds he still cares for her as she does for him.

The characters don't really stand up and impress the reader but the secondary characters are quite amusing.All in all a good book.

This romance novel initially had much to offer by way of an interesting plot. It begins as a pair of teenage childhood sweethearts are ruthlessly broken up, due to the hero, Fox Mercer's, father supposedly murdering a friend of King Edward. Due to this accusation, the father loses his title and lands, which sets Fox on the road to highway robbery (though it's specified that he never really takes anything but food and necessities, enough for him & his band of rovers to survive -- never coin or jewels). The heroine, Jordan Ruvane, decides she despises Fox because he robbed some precious herbs that were needed for an orphan child Jordan was looking after. The child died, so she is willing to assist her almost-fiance, Evan (another old childhood friend of the hero & heroine's) in capturing Fox.

Unfortunately, anything interesting about this plot is spoiled by the author's corny, rather cloying sweetness (displayed by the orphans that Jordan looks after, and in Jordan's attitude toward them), and, the lack of attention to historical detail and dialog. ("You're the greatest, Jordan!" one of the orphans tells her.)

Also, there's the author's lack of attention to historically appropriate character names. "Jordan" for the heroine, "Kara" for one of her "children"; "Evan". Even "Fox" for the hero smacked of a nickname, not a real name (which it's supposed to be).

The plot was set in a medieval time period (but when is never quite specified, even to which "King Edward" this one was supposed to be) but basically it felt like the 21st in all but the author's references to some vague, insert-some-medieval-facts-here time period.

The author more than once ended her chapters with a "!", for example: "The door opened and Fox stood there!" Yet, for all the extra !'s supplied, the plot lags; Jordan or Fox are not particularly compelling characters. I just didn't find myself caught up in their growing romance or in the circumstances that were devised to keep them apart.

This book had a somewhat promising beginning, marred by clumsy writing and only so-so character development, and the lack of attention to the "historical" element of historical romance. I can't recommend CHAMPION OF THE HEART.