Customer Reviews

Dance of Desire

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book held me from beginning to end. Usually I find myself skipping ahead because I get a little bored, but not with this one. It starts off in England in 1192. Lady Rexanna is desperate to clear her brother's name. There is a missive with her brother's signature which offers proof that he is traitor to the crown; of course Rexanna believes his signature is forged. In order to get her hands on the missive she and a trusted friend plan to sneak in the High Sheriff's keep where it is being held. She learns that there is a party at his keep where an exoctic eastern dancer plans to perform in front of him. Lady Rexanna pays the dancer to stay away and she goes in the costume in her stead. She dances with so much emotion and intrigue that Fane Linford, the High Sheriff is immediately taken with her. He decides he must have her. Terrified that she will lose her virginity to him, she sneaks off without finding the missive. Fane figures out her identity and is determined to have her, to make her his wife.

The King grants Fane any wife of his choice for his great deeds and heroism in the Holy Lands. So when he goes to Lady Rexanna and tells her she will be his wife by word of the King, she can not refuse. The rumors say he is a barbarian, and she is not happy about the marriage. He also holds her brother's life in his hands, and she decides maybe marrying him can have some benefits. After marrying him she quickly realizes that he is not a barbarian, but a gentle and loving husband, eager to please her. This makes it hard for her when she starts loving him because she feels she is being traitor to her brother, she feels torn.

Fane is such an extraordinary hero. He is strong and confident, tall and handsome. He is also patient and loving. He is so good to Rexanna, even when she deceives him. I just loved his love that he had for her. Rexanna was a strong heroine. She was very determined and loyal. She was also very sensual, hence the dance of desire. This read had many twists and turns. It was full of rich historical details, and showed how a strong warrior can also be capable of great love. The ending was great, had me wondering till the end. This book is a must read.

Set in England, 1192. After doing his duty in the crusade, Fane Linford is the High Sheriff of Warringham. He has been granted a bride of his own choosing, by King Richard himself. Fane has only to choose. However, Fane is kept busy. There is a rebellion forming against the crown. Rumor says Fane has a list of traitors that he will be turning over to the king.

Lady Rexana Villeaux learns that her brother's name is on that list and that he resides in the High Sheriff's dungeon! She is determined to see Rudd's named cleared. He would never turn traitor! Rexana dresses in the gauzy disguise of a desert courtesan and performs for the new High Sheriff, distracting him so her servant could steal the list.

The passion in her dance does indeed catch Fane's eye. Too much so. Fane is determined to claim Lady Rexana as his bride. To save her brother she will agree. Then he may take his time to win her trust, followed by her heart.

However, the area's unrest seems to be against the new couple. Not only that, but Lord Darwell's son, Garmonn, has always believed that he would be Lady Rexana's husband some day. And if he must kill the barbaric new High Sheriff, then so be it!

**** Author Catherine Kean writes with such passion that you can feel the hurt and joy that her characters' experience. I could easily imagine myself in the heroine's place and understand all her actions. No stupid little fits or tantrums for this brave heroine! Wonderful tale that I proudly recommend! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

In her debut novel Dance of Desire, Catherine Kean provides readers with a gripping, sensual and powerful tale of one woman's dance to clear her brother's name and one man's desire to see a traitor hung.

Lady Rexanna Villeaux knows her brother Rudd is innocent of treason towards the crown. Even though there is a signed and sealed document with her brother's signature on it, she has vowed to see his name cleared. Her daring and bold plans involve dancing for the High Sheriff and seducing him enough that his mind is distracted while someone else retrieves the document. But things go awry for Rexanna, not only does she dance for the High Sheriff, she also feels the chemistry and pull of attraction and desire. Now caught between two men she love deeply, her challenge and the desire to see her brother free is even stronger. But can she do it without losing the love of the man she has come to call husband?

Fane Linford, High Sheriff, is honour bound to catch the traitors and see them hanged in his area. He knows there is a plot underfoot; he has the documents in his hand that labels all who are involved. After capturing the traitors and imprisoning them he has a feast where a beautiful dancer catches his attention. Her sways and steps entice him, making him want her, but when she out wits him during this dance it is he who provides the last step by confronting her on the issue and marrying her. Married to Rexanna a woman who fills his soul, he is torn from wounds of the past, and the right thing to do. His wife is adamant that her brother is no traitor and he is adamant he is by signed documents. Will he be able to hang her brother and still keep her for his wife when it is all said and done?

When Rexanna realised that she was falling in love with her husband Fane, she became very torn in her loyalties to the crown, her brother and to her husband. She loved all three equally and did not want to see either her brother or her husband in harms way. She fought a good battle, disobeyed orders all the time but it was overlooked by her husband Fane who knew she was following her heart and truly believed in her brothers innocence. She grew close to Fane in this novel, he told her secrets that he's never told anyone. Through those secrets she discovered that he was not the person people were making him out to be. She was truly torn when it came down to betraying her husband or betraying her brother. Fane greatly desired Rexanna and was patient throughout this book, teasing her along the way, trying to seduce her and finally claiming her as his own. It proved to be a steamy and erotic moment when desire finally won over while making it one of the most carnal and fulfilling love scenes I have ever read.

Intriguing, gripping, fast paced, sensual and beautiful. Are all words that I can use to sum up this novel, Dance of Desire. Catherine Kean's debut novel is a pure treat to read if you are a medieval reader and lover of that era in romance. Her characters are multi-layered and carry secrets of the past that hinder and harbour resentment...until finally they are able to move forward. The story itself was beautiful and flowed from page to page with grace and ease. Catherine Kean kept true to the characters she created allowing them the freedom of love, second-guesses and chances. To let it sneak up on them and capture them in the beauty of it and the challenge of loving someone you were forced to marry. It moved the story along, kept it interesting and made the reader want to read more. The final pages of this story was like watching a movie, the descriptions, the moves, the plays all reminded me of watching a movie set in this time where it all comes down to a climactic scene of good vs. evil and the damsel caught in the middle. Catherine Kean's novel Dance of Desire is an excellent debut novel making it a must read for 2005. It will capture you, it will put you under its spell, and it will make you want more by this author. Now to only wait until 2006 when her second novel A Knight's Vengeance is released. I hate waiting...

So many romance novels (and romantic movies for that matter) are plagued with bad dialogue and trite situations. "Dance of Desire" is a refreshing change for a historical romance.

The heroine, Rexana, and the hero, Fane, are well-developed characters with their individual strengths and vulnerabilities. Even the supporting characters, such as Rexana's brother, servant, and former suitor have their own personality quirks.

Catherine Kean engages all the senses in "Dance of Desire." We can vicariously experience the scenes of danger, fear, sadness, joy, and desire in rich detail. The Middle Ages is a fine background for this particular story of treason and class struggle. There's much attention to small details here (e.g., their clothing, food, and bathing), and it's a better story (and more satisfying romance) because of it.

First and foremost, this is a wonderful romance novel -- the kind that sweeps you away as you read, and stays with you long afterwards.

Leslie Halpern, author of Reel Romance: The Lovers' Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies and Dreams on Film: The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science.

Setting - Tangston Keep, England 1192 --- Lady Rexana Villeaux loved to dance but the dance she would perform tonight for the barbarian High Sheriff of Warringham, Fane Linford would be one of desperation. She hoped this eve to draw his attention her way so that her loyal man-servant could sneak into the sheriff's solar and steal away the parchment listing her beloved brother Rudd as a traitor against the crown. Rexana was a lady of nobility but, dressed like an infidel's whore, she would do whatever she must to save her hot-headed brother. Mission aside, her curiosity was piqued to see the man rumor had it that had been disowned by his own father, kept prisoner by the infidels, spied for his king, and had bedded a Saracen wench.

Fane Linford, was many things, but after surviving the hell of torture and prison, he was not a fool. He didn't trust the fawning nobles feasting in his hall, yet the little dancer doing her best to imitate a foreign dance intrigued him. Fane recognized that the dancer was a fake, and convinced her to await him in his solar. He was looking forward to exploring her lithe body that evening and couldn't wait to quit his hall full of guests to engage in a feast of his own. As Fane was beginning a sensual seduction on Rexanna, he was pulled away to interrogate newly captured prisoners, one of which was her brother Rudd. That very interruption afforded Rexana a chance to escape.

Discovering later that his little dancer was the Lady Rexana, he forced her into wedding him in return for giving her the opportunity to prove her brother innocent of treasonous charges. Stubborn to a fault, Rexana's plan was simple to wed, but never bed - Fane's plan was much simpler - he would wed and teach her a new dance, one of sensual love and desire.

*** In this debut effort the reader will swept up from the very first pages into a very intriguing, fast paced, and beautifully written novel. Not only is the medieval era a particular favorite of mine, but coupled with the fascinating characters of Fane and Rexana as they lead each other in a delightful dance of love, trust, surrender and second chances you have the recipe for one very compelling novel. Fane was simply magnificent - a brooding dark hero carrying the physical and emotional scars from his past, yet he senses in Rexana a woman who can heal both his heart and soul. He knew deep within that her desire was a match for his own -- but convincing her would be a bit more problematic. The flow of this story will so engage you that you will have to finish it in one sitting. I for one, will be looking forward to more from this new author and suggest you all do the same. -

Ms. Kean has managed to pen a very good historical romance that deftly combines strong characters with a very good storyline that will transport the reader back in history to a time where loyalty and honor were bylaws of living and these elements of life could and at time did dictate how a life was lived.

Lady Rexana has had to make a very hard decision. There is a parchment with a forged signature of her brothers in the hands of the barbarian High Sheriff of Warringham, Fane Linford's Keep. If the Sheriff sees this parchment her brother Rudd will be called a traitor and he is the only family she has left in the world. He protected her once before, and she owes it to him to do the same. She knows in her heart that he is not a traitor to the Crown. Under the guise of a dancer from the East, Rexana plans to me a diversion so a loyal member of their household may slip in and retrieve the damning evidence. Instead her act draws the eye of Fane, and he is captivated by the little dancer. Soon Rexana is dancing a very different dance with steps that must be taken carefully or all will be lost.

Fane has lived a harsh life. He knows that the world sees him as a harsh barbarian. But the truth of the matter is he longs to find peace and love. He thinks he has found this in the eyes of his little dancer. When he finds out that she is actually the sister of a man that is planning to overthrow the King he decides to take matters into his own hands. He wants Rexana and he will do what he has to in order to win her heart. First, he must convince her to marry him, and he does knowing that she comes to him without love in her heart. He is willing to believe that he can change her mind. He must for he wants her heart, mind, body, and soul. Hopefully she will realize that he is not the enemy but instead the one that will be able to protect her from those that are planning evil in the kingdom.

Rexana and Fane are larger than life characters that take control of the story and tell their own tale in a way that will draw the reader in and transport them back to England in 1192 This is truly a story in which the reader can escape and be thoroughly entertained. Ms. Kean is true to her characters by making Rexana strong, and stubborn but at the same time endearing. Fane is a hero in every sense of the word. The way he courts his lady love is truly romantic and the fact that he has not lost that soft part of himself after his harsh life is amazing. I highly recommend Ms. Kean's debut effort. This is a story that will cause you to fall in love with historical romance.

Fabulous story of a noble woman who puts her loyalty to her brother before her own desires and the gallant man who will stop at nothing to win her heart. Superb details and language transported me into the story completely. A terrific debut novel for Catherine Kean.

In the late 12th century during the time of King Richard there is a rebellion in Warringham and the King sends the High Sherriff, Fane Linford to curb the rebellion, round up the rebels, and in return, he gets to choose a bride. Fane arrives to his castle in order to celebrate the capture of a group of these unruly noblemen, one of which happens to be Lady Rexana Villeaux's brother Rudd. Rexana must do whatever necessary to get Rudd released from Fane's dungeon and prove his innocence. The beautiful Lady Rexana is sought after by most of the men in the kingdom for her beauty and virtue. In desperation she decides to dance the Dance of the Veils for Fane in order to entice him so she can get to his personal rooms, search and destroy the documents that link her brother to the rebellion, and get Rudd released. Already nervous by her inexperience as a courtesan and dancer, she realizes she is attracted to the dark, handsome Fane. Fane is even more drawn to Rexana's beauty. He not only wants her in his bed, but on discovering her true identity wants her as his bride. He struggles with his feelings, especially when he discovers that Rexana continues to plot behind his back to release her brother. The romantic and sensual tension has the reader captured from beginning to end and the lust turned love between these two lovers is a masterful weave. Interwoven in the love story is the mystery of the true identity of the real villians behind the rebellion. This is truly a beautiful, well-written story that is difficult to put down. The story plot and characters are rich and deep and the history is well-researched. What a fabulous debut! Catherine Kean is another author to add to the "please write another one soon" list.

Lady Rexana Villeaux is desperate to find the parchment that brands her brother a traitor to the King - before the new High Sheriff can persecute him. There's just one problem, the damning parchment is in the High Sheriff's care, and to get it, Rexana must sneak inside Tangston, where the sheriff resides. Fate intervenes in the form of a sickly dancer, and Rexana borrows her costume to gain entrance to Tangston. She must dance for the barbaric Sheriff to create enough distraction for her people to search his private quarters for the document.

Swirling and swaying to the foreign music, garbed in the gauzy, flimsy costume of a desert courtesan, Rexana dances with every ounce of pent-up frustration that she feels - and in doing so, catches the eye of the Sheriff a little too well. The High Sheriff, captivated by her wild dance, wishes her to remain after the dance - for his private pleasure.

Fane Linford, has been appointed High Sheriff of Warringham by his king - an honor he gained after being mercilessly tortured as an infidel's prisoner. His service, while imprisoned, had saved countless lives and earned him a grudging respect by his peers. However, though they may respect him, they still fear his barbaric tendencies. Rumors abound about his liaison with a Saracen courtesan, and the horrible tortures he had endured in Gazir's dungeon. Fane pays the rumors no heed, determined to do what he had always done, honor his king and country. As the new sheriff, this task is to catch the traitors of Warringham before they stir up a rebellion.

Distraction arrives in the form of a wildly seductive dancer, a woman who speaks to his very soul with her tempestuous spirit. Even after learning of the dancer's true identity, and her deception, he finds her utterly enchanting. Deciding he must have her, he offers her marriage - knowing that she cannot refuse if she wants to save her brother from being branded a traitor.

DANCE OF DESIRE sizzles with romantic tension, dragging readers along on a sensual ride through the lives of the two main characters. Skillfully written, with intriguing twists, exotic flair and a fast-paced plot fascinating enough to keep readers turning the pages in an all-night reading binge, DANCE OF DESIRE is a Medieval treasure. Author Catherine Kean writes with a fine-edged elegance, spinning a tale of tension and intrigue that readers of historical fiction won't want to miss.

Review by Janean Nusz of AuthorsArt.com

This novel gave me the most delicious chills from the first chapter on through the rest of the book. The characters are rich, the setting is sumptuous and the love between the characters sizzles on the page. Beautiful writing and just a wonderfully woven story. I highly recommend!