Thomas Lancaster, a widower with bad memories of marriage and a young son he barely knew was a hardened knight loyal to his king. In reward for his efforts fighting in the Crusades, King Edward gave him Middlemound Castle, but the king decreed that he must marry the beautiful young widow of the castle’s previous lord.
Lady Gloriana Stewart had suffered brutally in her first marriage and had no desire to marry again. Yet she had no choice. She had to protect her people and obey her king.
All she wanted was for her new husband to give her a baby.
Having already lost one wife in childbirth, Thomas refused to even consider it.
Sir Rowan Montgomery, Thomas’s first knight, friend, and lover complicated the situation even more. Thomas didn’t want to give up Rowan and Gloriana didn’t want to admit she had feelings for her husband and for Rowan.
In medieval times honorable men had to do what was required of them by the kings to whom they were loyal…
Thomas Lancaster, a widower with bad memories of marriage and a young son he barely knew was a hardened knight loyal to his king. In reward for his efforts fighting in the Crusades, King Edward gave him Middlemound Castle to hold for the crown. But the king decreed that he must marry the beautiful young widow of the castle’s previous lord.
Lady Gloriana Stewart had suffered brutally in her first marriage and had no desire to marry again. Yet she had no choice. She had to protect her people and obey her king.
All she wanted was for her new husband to give her a baby.
Having already lost one wife in childbirth, Thomas refused to even consider it.
Sir Rowan Montgomery, Thomas’s first knight, friend, and lover complicated the situation even more. Thomas didn’t want to give up Rowan and Gloriana didn’t want to admit she had feelings for her husband and for Rowan.
Excerpt
Lady Gloriana could barely draw in a breath. Her life with Geoffrey had done this to her. He’d battled down her self-worth, her dreams of having a happy family, and her natural zest for life. She needed to find the strength to face this new marriage to this war-hardened warrior. She had to make him respect her. Most of all, she had to endure relations with him until he got her with child.
The great hall rang with the sounds of joyous reunions. She heard the deep tone of an unfamiliar voice. It rang with authority, with power, much like Geoffrey’s voice had. Yet something about it drew her instead of repelling her. Something about it called to her woman’s place and she felt warmth spreading there. The reaction surprised her.
Her focus moved to the raised dais. Two such different—and yet the same—men stood there drinking cups of ale. Neither smiled. Both seemed to study her.
Gerald guided her to the dais. “Lady Middlemound, my lord.” He nodded toward the two powerfully built men. “Lord Montrose, my lady. And Sir Montgomery, his first knight.”
“Thomas,” Lord Montrose said and stepped down in front of her. He towered over her by at least a foot. His breadth and brawn made her heart race. Yet she didn’t feel intimidated by him.
Then the other man stepped down. As she glanced up, he gave her a crooked smile. “And you may call me Rowan.”
She felt her heart race even more.
Professional Reviews
Night Owl Reviews
Chris of Night Owl Reviews has reviewed your book Their Lady Gloriana.
Title: Their Lady Gloriana |
Authors: Starla Kaye
Online Link : http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Chris-reviews-Their-Lady-Gloriana-by-Starla-Kaye.aspx
Score: 4.00 / 5
While being part of the aristocracy had its perks, it also meant your life could change with the king’s whim. So it is for Thomas and Gloriana. King Edward decrees Thomas will wed Gloriana, thus securing her castle after her husband’s death in the crusades. Told her of her husband’s death in one breath and her impending marriage in another are a shock to say the least. Her guilt at not feeling bad after learning of her husband’s death is nothing compared to her dread of a new one. Perhaps she will finally get the one thing she wants from marriage: a child.
Thomas lost his first wife in childbirth and refuses to chance another. While his first marriage was a shambles, he feels for his new wife like he never did his first. He would never survive her loss. And the fact that she understands and condones his relationship with his first knight Rowan makes her even more precious. When loving another man is cause for death, he realizes the gift Gloriana is. When she bravely inserts herself in his and Rowans lovemaking, he is truly happy for the first time in his life. Can this feeling last? Or will his fight to retrieve his son, who has been raised by his sister and her husband for 10 years, result in losing it all?
I loved romances set in the medieval era. This was a change of pace with the ménage. People were so pious (Thomas was returning from the Crusades) that homosexuality or bisexuality resulted in violence, as is illustrated in this story. You have to feel for Thomas and Glori as they are merely pawns on the chessboard of the King. I found myself more drawn to the romance between Rowan and Thomas since it was more established and based on feelings rather than circumstance. Not that Thomas, Glori and Rowan don’t fall in love, but would they have if not thrown together? The use of Thomas’s fear of Glori dying in childbirth was a real one in that time, as was Glori’s maternal yearnings. A very emotional read, with interesting relationships in addition to the main characters. As well as lots of hot variations of sex between all possible combinations of two men and a woman.
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