Rest Not in Peace by Mel Starr

No Comments on Rest Not in Peace by Mel Starr

restnotinpeaceGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1368 – England

Master Hugh is asked to provide a sleeping potion for Sir Henry Burley, a friend and guest of Lord Gilbert at Bampton Castle. Sir Henry, (with his wife, a daughter by a first wife, two knights, two squires, and assorted servants), has outstayed his welcome at Bampton Castle. The next morning after Master Hugh provides the potion, Sir Henry is found dead, eyes open, in his bed. Master Hugh, the target of the wife’s wrath, is asked by Lord Gilbert to determine the cause of death …

The Tainted Coin by Mel Starr

No Comments on The Tainted Coin by Mel Starr

taintedcoinGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1367 – England

Master Hugh is enjoying the peaceful life of Bampton, when a badly beaten man is found under the porch of St. Andrew’s Chapel. The dying man is a chapman — a traveling merchant. Before he is buried in the chapel grounds an ancient, corroded coin is found in the man’s mouth. Master Hugh’s quest for the chapman’s assailants, and his search for the origin of the coin, make steady progress “ but there are men of wealth and power who wish to halt his search, and an old nemesis in league with them. Master Hugh, and his assistant, the groom Arthur, are determined to uncover the thieves and murderers, and the source of the chapman’s coin. They do, but not before they become involved with a kidnapped maiden, a tyrannical abbot, and a suffering monk …

Bound to the Warrior by Barbara Phinney

No Comments on Bound to the Warrior by Barbara Phinney

Bound to the Warrior boundtothewarrior

1067 – Saxony

A Heart Unconquered

Widowed Saxon Lady Ediva Dunmow will do anything to protect her people—even marry one of the invading Norman knights. The king sees it as a way to keep Ediva, her lands and her tenants subdued. But Ediva’s embittered heart, still healing from the abuse of her first husband, will not yield so easily.

Marriage never held any appeal for Adrien de Ries. Yet it is his king’s will, and perhaps his Lord’s, too—though he finds his faith tested daily by Ediva’s staunch refusal to trust him. As a knight, Adrien survived many battles, but the fight to win Ediva’s heart may be his most challenging—and rewarding.

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

No Comments on The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

The Fairest Beautyfairestbeauty

Medieval England

A daring rescue. A difficult choice. Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother’s jealousy, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down. This could be Sophie’s one chance at freedom—but can she trust another person to keep her safe? Gabe defied his parents Rose and Wilhelm by going to find Sophie, and now he believes they had a right to worry: the girl’s inner and outer beauty has enchanted him. Though romance is impossible—she is his brother’s future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else—he promises himself he will see the mission through, no matter what. When the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven, they find help—but also find their feelings for each other have grown. Now both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them—they must also protect their hearts.

A Royal Marriage by Rachelle McCalla

No Comments on A Royal Marriage by Rachelle McCalla

aroyalmarrriageA Royal Marriage

801 – Fictional Kingdom

Despite her protests, Princess Gisela, headstrong daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, must enter into a diplomatic marriage. Yet en route to her wedding, her ship is attacked and she’s gravely injured. Rescued by a renowned healer, King John of Lydia, Gisela recuperates at his Mediterranean castle. The handsome, widowed ruler soon has her reevaluating her beliefs on love and marriage…but only if King John could be her groom. Their love is forbidden, and duty requires him to deliver her to her betrothed. Unless they can find a way to join their hearts—and kingdoms—with love, faith and honor.

Bourne & Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren

No Comments on Bourne & Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren

Bourne & Tributarybourneandtributary

Time Travel – Medieval Italy and Present Day

BOURNE, a novella, picks up right where TORRENT left off…Find out what has happened to men returning from the battle, gravely wounded, to the Betarrinis, fighting for the men they love, and just who is hunting them next… TRIBUTARY, a novella, picks up a year after BOURNE… Lia struggles to overcome the fear that constant battle has heaped upon her; Gabi and Marcello face an unexpected crisis; and Lord Greco just may be ready to leave the grief and loss of his past behind him, so that he might grab hold of the future…

The Hour Before Dawn by Penelope Wilcock

No Comments on The Hour Before Dawn by Penelope Wilcock

The Hour before Dawnthehourbeforedawn

14th Century – England

Once again, author Penelope Wilcock reaches back through the centuries to the ancient monastery of St. Alcuin. Abbot John is undergoing deep, emotional shock after learning of the rape of his sister and murder of his mother; Father William is discovering his own vulnerability; and there, immersed in the daily routine of simple tasks, the brothers undertake the greatest task of nurturing the grace of God in their souls.

 

A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow

No Comments on A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow

A Darkly Hidden Truth (The Monastery Murders)adarklyhiddentruth

1375 – Norwich

Felicity has decided to become a nun. She departs to visit convents in spite of her mother’s imminent arrival and Fr. Anselm’s request that she and Fr. Antony recover a missing priceless Russian icon before the Patriarch of Moscow arrives at the community for Holy Week.

Unhallowed Ground by Mel Starr

No Comments on Unhallowed Ground by Mel Starr

uhallowedgroundGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1366 – England

Thomas atte Bridge, a man no one likes, is found hanging from a tree near Cow-leys Corner. All assume he has taken his own life, but Master Hugh and Kate find evidence that this may not be so. Many of the town had been harmed by Thomas, and Hugh is not eager to send one of them to the gallows. Then he discovers that the priest John Kellet, atte Bridge’s partner in crime in A CORPSE AT ST. ANDREW’S CHAPEL, was covertly in Bampton at the time atte Bridge died. Master Hugh is convinced that Kellet has murdered atte Bridge “one rogue slaughtering another. He sets out for Exeter, where Kellet now works. But there he discovers that the priest is an emaciated skeleton of a man, who mourns the folly of his past life. Hugh must return to Bampton and discover which of his friends has murdered his enemy…

The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

No Comments on The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

The Merchant’s Daughtermerchantsdaughter

Medieval – England

Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf’s bailiff—a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past.

Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff’s vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger.

Ranulf’s future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart

Highland Sanctuary by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

No Comments on Highland Sanctuary by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Highland Sanctuaryhighlandsanctuary

Medieval – Scotland

Gavin MacKenzie, a chieftain heir who is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh, discovers a hidden village of outcasts who have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and comely lass, who captures Gavin’s heart in spite of harboring a deadly past that could destroy her future.

The villagers happen to be keeping an intriguing secret as well, and when a fierce enemy launches an attack against them, greed leads to bitter betrayal. Then, as Gavin prepares a defense, the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how God’s love is more powerful than any human force on earth.

Dance of the Dandelion by Dina L. Sleiman

No Comments on Dance of the Dandelion by Dina L. Sleiman

Dance of the Dandeliondanceofthedandelion

14th Century – England and Italy

Love’s quest leads her the world over.

Dandelion Dering was born a peasant in the English village of Arun, but her soul yearned for another life, another world. One filled with color and music, with adventure and passion . . . with more. Haunted by childhood memories, Dandelion determines to find a better existence than the life every peasant in the village contents themselves with. Even if her sweetheart William’s predictions prove true, and her journey leads straight to heartache.

From her sleepy hamlet to the intrigue of castle life, from the heart of London to the adventurous seas, Dandelion flees from the mistakes of her past, always seeking that something, that someone who will satisfy her longings.

Will Dandelion ever find the rhythm to her life’s dance . . . or did she leave her chance for true love at home in Arun village?

Torrent by Lisa Bergren

No Comments on Torrent by Lisa Bergren

Torrent (River of Time Series)torrent

Medieval/Present Day Time Travel – Italy

“Hold tight,” I said. “No matter what happens, do not let us go.”
“We won’t,” my dad said.
“Never,” Mom added.
And with a look at Lia, we laid our hands upon the prints.

Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are just two normal American teenagers. Normal except for the fact that they time travel to fourteenth-century Italy, where they’ve lived in castles they’ve seen as crumbling ruins, become swept up in historic battles, and fallen in love with handsome knights willing to do anything to keep them alive.

They’ve returned to the present to save their father, just short of his tragic death, and now all four return to the place that holds the girls’ hearts, medieval Italy. But remaining there means facing great risk as the battle for territory wages on and the coming Black Plague looms. Can they convince their parents to stay and leave behind everything they’ve worked so hard to accomplish? And will the girls sacrifice their futures in an uncertain past? Or in facing death head-on, will they discover life as it was always meant to be lived?

The Hardest Thing to Do by Penelope Wilcock

No Comments on The Hardest Thing to Do by Penelope Wilcock

The Hardest Thing to Dothehardestthingtodo

14th Century – England

A peaceful monastery is enjoying its new abbot, who is taking the place of Father Peregrine, when an old enemy arrives seeking refuge. Reluctantly taking in Prior William, the upended community must address old fears and bitterness while warily seeking reconciliation. But can they really trust Prior William?

Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

No Comments on Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

Cascadecascade

14th century – 21st Century – Italy

Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.
But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

To Grace Surrendered by DeAnna Julie Dodson

No Comments on To Grace Surrendered by DeAnna Julie Dodson

To Grace Surrendered (The Chastelayne Trilogy)To Grace Surrendered (The Chastelayne Trilogy)togracesurrendered

Medieval – Fictitious  Kingdom

Having suffered through some years of warfare, King Philip Chastelayne is finally able to settle down with his beloved wife Rosalynde. Even the fact that a neighboring kingdom is led by the tyrannical King Sarto does not provide enough incentive for Philip to leave his wife’s side to spend time on the battlefield. However, when Rosalynde gets kidnapped by Sarto, who believes she is the reincarnation of his lost love, Philip is finally forced into action. Throughout his ordeal, he discovers that his faith in God is waning.

By Love Redeemed by DeAnna Julie Dodson

No Comments on By Love Redeemed by DeAnna Julie Dodson

By Love Redeemed (The Chastelayne Trilogy)byloveredeemed

Medieval – Fictitious Kingdom

Complete strangers on their wedding day and separated by war since their honeymoon, can they find true love together?

Even though their time together has been short, Prince Tom is eager for his bride’s return. Though his love for her has grown, Elizabeth makes it clear that she considers him a stranger, not to be trusted. Not to be loved.
Certain the lavish love he claims to have for her cannot be genuine, Elizabeth turns to a deceitful friend who feeds her doubts and insecurities, poisoning her mind against her young husband. Just as Tom’s patient tenderness begins to soften her heart, he is left with a heavier burden. His brother the king receives news that threatens the stability of the kingdom and his marriage. Forced to go in secret to find the truth behind it, he leaves Tom to deal with the undercurrent of treason and treachery that lies beneath the deceptive quiet of the court. Will Tom be able to hold the kingdom together and win his wife’s heart? Or will she let a seductive stranger lead her away from his unconditional love?

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

No Comments on Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

Waterfallwaterfall

14th C. – Time Travel – Italy
 
Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one.
Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved…
and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.
 
Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.
            And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

In Honor Bound by DeAnna Julie Dodson

No Comments on In Honor Bound by DeAnna Julie Dodson

In Honor Bound (The Chastelayne Trilogy)In Honor Bound (The Chastelayne Trilogy)inhonorbound

Medieval – Fictitious Kingdom

His father will stop at nothing to keep the royal bloodline “pure” –even murder. But his sins have nearly destroyed Prince Philip and the future of his reign.

Forced into a political marriage, Philip tells his bride, “I will not lie to you, I will not be unfaithful to you, and I will not love you. My heart is pledged to another and I am not a man to break an oath.”

His one true love is a lowly serving girl. When Philip refuses to set her aside in order to form a politically beneficial marriage, his father has the girl tried on false charges and executed. He then forces Philip to marry the beautiful and nobly born Lady Rosalynde. Devastated and embittered by his loss and his father’s betrayal, Philip is determined to never love again . . . not his father, not his wife, not his God. Although Rosalynde adores him, he withholds his heart from her, refusing to let even death end his devotion to the love he lost. Despite his coldness towards her, Rosalynde is determined to love him and teach him to love her — as determined as the God he has turned his back on. As civil war rages throughout the realm, Philip faces a greater struggle within himself. Will he open his heart to love again or let his pride destroy him and his kingdom?

The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

No Comments on The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

The Healer’s Apprenticehealersapprentice

Medieval – Germany

In this historical romance loosely based on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, a woodcutter’s daughter becomes the town healer’s apprentice. Rose’s job is to care for the sick and injured in Hagenheim Castle. But she gets sick at the sight of blood and is more suited to making up stories than sewing up wounds. She is determined to overcome her weakness and prove herself a competent healer, or she faces marrying a disgusting old merchant her mother has picked out for her.

Lord Hamlin, the future ruler of the region, is injured and Rose must overcome her squeamishness to save him. He is everything that is noble and good, but loving him is forbidden. He is already betrothed to a mysterious woman in hiding.

A Trail of Ink by Mel Starr

No Comments on A Trail of Ink by Mel Starr

atrailofinkGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1365 – England

I had never seen Master John Wyclif so afflicted. He was rarely found at such a loss when in disputation with other masters. He told me later, when I had returned them to him, that it was as onerous to plunder a bachelor scholar’s books as it would be to steal another man’s wife. I had, at the time, no way to assess the accuracy of that opinion, for I had no wife and few books …’ So begins another delightful and intriguing tale from the life of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon in the medieval village of Bampton, near Oxford, and bailiff of Bampton Castle at the behest of Lord Gilbert Talbot. Hugh sets his cap at the delightful Kate, who proves equally resourceful in the search for the missing books. Some very determined adversaries are out to stop him, permanently if necessary – but are they motivated by greed or a more personal animosity? Then the corpse of a poor scholar, who had tried to sell one of the books, is found in the river: but he had not simply drowned …

Seasons in the Mist by Deborah Kinnard

No Comments on Seasons in the Mist by Deborah Kinnard

Seasons in the Mistseasonsinthemist

1350s Time Travel – England

Bethany Lindstrom is well on her way to achieving her goals as a graduate student in medieval history when her trip to Oxford goes awry. On an unplanned visit to Cornwall, while wandering around her hostess’s ancient home, she stumbles through an unseen portal into the fourteenth century. Stranded in 1353, Beth knows she must find a way back to her own time or face a life of falsehoods and peril. But with the stern Lord Michael Veryan, she is swept into the intrigues of King Edward’s court, which will test their mettle and their faith in God to the limits–and forever bind their lives together.

In the Arms of Immortals by Ginger Garrett

No Comments on In the Arms of Immortals by Ginger Garrett

In the Arms of Immortalsinthearmsoftheimmortals

1347 – Italy

The Black Death sweeps through a Sicilian village in Book Two of Ginger Garrett’s unforgettable Chronicles of the Scribe series
 
It starts when a strange ship docks in the village harbor. That night an old man falls ill…then the baker’s wife…then a street urchin. By morning half the townspeople are dead and more are dying—horribly. And no one in town has a clue how to stop it. Not the local priest. Not the rich baron or his powerful knight. And not the three women at the heart of this book: the baron’s proud daughter, Panthea, the outcast healer Gio, and Mariskka, an unwilling visitor from another time. This fast-moving, richly imagined tale is a sure winner for lovers of historical fiction.

A Corpse at St Andrew’s Chapel by Mel Starr

No Comments on A Corpse at St Andrew’s Chapel by Mel Starr

corpseatstandrewsGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1365 – England

Alan, the beadle of the manor of Bampton, had gone out at dusk to seek those who might violate curfew. When, the following morning, he had stillnot returned home, his young wife Matilda sought out Master Hugh de Singleton, surgeon and bailiff of the manor.

Two days later Alan’s corpse is discovered in the hedge, at the side of the track to St. Andrew’s Chapel. His throat has been torn out, his head half-severed from his body and his face, hands, and forearms lacerated with deep scratches.

Master Hugh, meeting Hubert the coroner at the scene, listens carefully to the coroner surmise that a wolf had caused the great wound. And yet . . . if so, why is there so little blood?

 

The Unquiet Bones by Mel Starr

No Comments on The Unquiet Bones by Mel Starr

unquietbonesGoodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1363 – England

Hugh of Singleton, fourth son of a minor knight, has been educated as a clerk, usually a prelude to taking holy orders. However, he feels no real calling—despite his lively faith—and he turns to the profession of surgeon, training in Paris, and then hanging his sign in Oxford.

Soon after, a local lord asks Hugh de Singleton to track the killer of a young woman whose bones have been found in the castle cesspool. Through his medical knowledge, Singleton identifies her as the impetuous missing daughter of a local blacksmith.

The young man she loved—whom she had provoked very publicly—is quickly arrested and sentenced at Oxford. But this is just the beginning of the tale. 

The story of Singleton’s adventure unfolds with realistic medical procedures, droll medieval wit, romantic distractions, and a consistent underlying sense of Christian compassion. 

The Knight and the Dove by Lori Wick

No Comments on The Knight and the Dove by Lori Wick

The Knight and the Dove (Kensington Chronicles, Book 4)theknightandthedove

1531 – England

When the king commands Bracken to marry, high-spirited Megan is chosen to fulfill the edict. Unskilled in the ways of love, Bracken finds Megan captivating, yet cannot seem to voice his feelings until he almost loses her forever.

Kingdom of Love by Tracie Peterson

No Comments on Kingdom of Love by Tracie Peterson

GoodreadsKingdom of Love ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1349 – England

Kidnapping. . .Murder. . .Revenge.
If Only the Fortress Walls Could Talk!

From bestselling author Tracie Peterson come 3 unique historical novels, rereleased for old and new fans alike. Liberty and love–even life itself–are fragile commodities those living in medieval England. Will God’s love and power triumph in the lives of these three courageous women? Find out in soul-searing historical novels of romance and suspense!

A Kingdom Divided
Raised in a home filled with violence, Arianne Pemberton experiences love and gentleness only after her arranged marriage to Richard, Duke of Gavenshire. But before she can feel confident both in Richard’s love and in God’s personal care for her, a mysterious enemy from Richard’s Past over-powers the castle and takes Arianne hostage. Who is Tancred, and why is he set on revenge? What fuels the animosity between the two men? Exercising her new faith, Arianne risks her life to restore peace and unite a kingdom divided. 
 
Alas, My Love
England in the Middle Ages is far from a jolly place for an unprotected young woman. Yet the savagery of her stepbrother and the devious schemes of her stepsister have given golden-haired Helena Talbot little choice. She must find shelter elsewhere. Afforded protection by the magnanimouse Duke of Gavenshire, Helena nonetheless lives under an assumed name, ever fearful her whereabouts will be revealed to her stepbrother. Only one dream transports her above her worries, the desire that one day she will be reunited with brave Tancred. Years have passed since they were together and now an ocean and a king’s decree keep them apart. But are those obstacles stronger than a woman’s prayer for love? 
 
If Only
The year is 1349, the place, England. As the bubonic shadow spreads across the land, Mary Beckett finds herself alone and desperate. Her father, a physician who has been accused of consorting with the devil, has been murdered. Even her own interest in medicine has brought cries of witchcraft. Mary’s only hope is to journey north to the home of her godly grandmother, a woman her father once rejected. Doctors and pilgrims will cross her path, and, last but not least, Peter Donne, a knight on a mission from the king. Hundreds will beg her to heal them. Will Mary Beckett, a lonely pilgrim herself, find a way to help her people and herself? If only she could reach her grandmother’s home, if only she could find her own way to God. . . .