Lord of My Heart [Paperback]

Jo Beverley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1992

Forced to wed one of a trio of lords offered by King William in order to save her barony from ruin, Madeleine de la Haute Vironge ends up with the most dangerous of the three--a man who could even be a traitor to the crown.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jo Beverley is widely regarded as one of the most talented romance writers today. She is a four-time winner of Romance Writers of America's cherished RITA Award and one of only a handful of members in the RITA Hall of Fame. She has also recieved the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Born in England, she now lives with her husband and two sons in Victoria, British Columbia, just a ferry ride away from Seattle, WA.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Avon Books (Mm) (August 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380767848
• ISBN-13: 978-0380767847
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,436,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jo Beverley writes bestselling historical romance set in her native England. She was born and raised in the UK, and has a degree in history from Keele University in Staffordshire, but she lived in Canada for 30 years. Now she's returned to England she enjoys doing even more on-the-spot research.

Her 30+ novels have won her many awards, including 5 RITA awards, the top award in romance, and 2 career achievement awards from Romantic Times. She's a member of the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame and Honor Roll. Publishers Weekly declared her "arguably today's most skillful writer of intelligent historical romance."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Written And Original, October 16, 2001

By 

J. Wilson "sonwil" (Santa Rosa, California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lord of My Heart (Paperback)

Jo Beverly simply cannot write a bad story in my opinion, and Lord Of My Heart is no exception. This story takes place around the year 1066, the time of the invasion of England by William of Normandy.

The hero is half Norman, half Saxon and he identifies with both the conquering side and the conquered side. You can see the struggle in him as he tries to figure out which side he is on. So he disguises himself, and travels from village to village to give his saxon people any help he can. The heroine is a Norman Heiress who the hero is forced to marry. It is a marriage he does not want, because he believes the heroine is cruel and vicious to his people(Saxons) and he does not trust her. The heroine does not trust her new husband because she believes he is committing treason against the new king by planning a saxon uprising. Eventually, they learn to trust each other and realize they are in love.

Lord Of My Heart is a well written story that is original in its plot. Jo Beverly has once again created a story that is well researched and plotted out. For those who have read and liked this story, try one of Jo Beverly's other medeival romances. Dark Champion is another good one.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rich historical details and powerful love drama, October 23, 2002

By 

Desmond Chan (Bishan North Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord of my Heart (Mass Market Paperback)

Judging from her earlier books, it is no wonder why romance maestro Jo Beverley is a 5-time winner of the coveted RITA and Lord of My Heart is yet another classic even if it lacks the heartening fun and audacity of My Lady Notorious.

It isn't a just comparison of course when the serious Lord Of My Heart is set in the pagaentry and chaos in the time era of 1065 Normandy where Norman conqueror William the Bastard ousted the Earl of Sussex to lay territorial claims on England after King Edward's demise. There lies the conflict of half Saxon-half Norman Aimery de Gaillard who pledges fealty to William but acknowledges his fraternity with English rebel Hereward. Aimery is torn between loyalty when he secretly and unwittingly helps the English populace as his disguised alter-ego Golden Hart battle injustices inflicted by powerful Norman landlords like Madeline de la Haute Vironge's uncle who rules Badderley with tyranny.

Madeline has to wed a lord to remove her uncle from her estate - and with a twist of fate she ends up choosing Aimery. Yet trust eludes them when Madeline fears that Aimery is a treasonous traitor and Aimery grips with rumors of Madeline's cruel facade behind her beguiling innocence.

Rich with historical details and majestic in its scope of war, betrayal and treachery, Lord Of My Heart sweeps the readers away with the period and embellishes it with a heartfelt romance that sparkles with wits and sensual delights. The clash of honours, familial ties and love evoke a powerful drama to rival the ferocious intensity of the swashbuckling extravaganza.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History and Passion, June 10, 2000

By 

Debby Sharkey (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord of My Heart (Paperback)

"I don't like you Madeline de la Haute Vironage. I don't want Baddersly. If you force me to marry you, I will make your life a misery." So says Aimery de Gaillard in Lord of My Heart, another great medieval by Jo Beverley.

Convent-bread Madeline heiress to a barony, is offered a choice by King William of three lords to wed. The King's choice is obvious, the powerful and honorable Aimery de Gaillard. By his own machinations, William hopes to help Madeline make the "right choice". There is just one problem, Madeline has given Aimery her solemn promise that she will not choose him. She suspects that he might be The Golden Hart, champion to the common English folk, and as such, a traitor to the crown. She soon realizes however, that the handsome Gaillard is her only choice.

Torn between his Norman and Saxon roots, Aimery must balance his love for the English people, and his duty as a Norman knight. He does not need or want the complications of a marriage to a Norman heiress, especially one he believes to be cruel and oblivious to the English peoples' sufferings. Aimery must keep his covert raids secret and does not trust Madeline; he is sure she will eventually betray him to the King. Though neither of them want it, their attraction for each other is strong and soon becomes an all-consuming love.

Jo Beverley once again brings the medieval world to life, and fills her story with rich and complex characters. I know you will enjoy this book. It is a must read for her fans; indeed any fan of this genre.