Pink Heart Reviews
Stealing Heaven
Madeline Hunter
ISBN-10: 0553590224
ISBN-13: 978 0553590227
Bantam Dell, September 2007, 400 pp
Reissue - Historical – Medieval
Original Pub Date: August 2002
$4.99 (US) $6.99 (CDN)
Reviewed by Mary
November 2007
Madeline Hunter is a consistent historical writer that never stops pleasing the reader with every book she writes and this one in particular exemplifies how great she is as an historical writer. She merges two characters that are so different but likeable in their own role and when placed together you just can’t help but want them to end in a fairy tale of love and romance no matter what is thrown in their way or the forces that might try to keep them apart.
Nesta verch Llygad was the daughter of a Welch Chieftain and King Edward's mistress that he held great affection for and kept in his high favor. This was a fact known to all and even Knight Marcus of Angelsmore was well aware of it. He was an English Knight sworn to the King and engaged to Nesta’s sister Genith. He did not want to marry Genith but he was a devoted servant of the King and would do as his King bequeathed – until he set his eyes on Nesta. Fate drew him a cruel hand when it was deemed he should marry not the one he wanted but the one he must. But the woman who was to be his wife did not want this either and she had other plans of her own that included her marrying the son of Robert the Bruce who will unite the warring Welch factions into one army that will rise against Edward. This is treason and she knows that but as the daughter of a nobleman she must fulfill his promises to his people. Nesta was encouraging and helping their fellow Welch countrymen stop the English in their quest to control them as well so she help Genith with her plan not knowing what would happen to her once Marcus found out.
You learn of the past tormented life, how Nesta became the King's property and what drives Marcus to be the loyal and faithful servant of the King. The story rolls very fast from their first meeting to when they are forced to take sides against each other when war threatens to break out between the English and the Welch.
You fall for these two characters from page one and never want their story to end and with the well-written dialogue and excellent with character development this story is one that captures the romantic in us all.
