The Maiden Bride
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A noblewoman takes her twin’s place in marriage to a Norman invader in this “absorbing, sexually charged” medieval romance from a USA Today–bestselling author (Publishers Weekly).
All her life, Linnea de Valcourt has been reviled as the cursed daughter of Maidenstone Castle. The younger of identical twins, she narrowly escaped a death sentence at birth. To save her beloved sister from marriage to the savage Norman conqueror who has laid siege to their castle, Linnea will sacrifice her own happiness by engaging in a dangerous deception.
Years of exile have driven Axton de la Manse to the brink of despair. Now he will have his vengeance by taking his enemy’s most prized possession, his eldest daughter. Once they wed and she is carrying the de la Manse heir, no one can dispute his claim to Maidenstone, the stronghold stolen from his family. That is, until the unthinkable happens: He loses his heart to his bride, whose own desires ignite a fierce longing deep within Axton. Is their growing love enough to overcome the lies and treachery that could drive them apart?
With enthralling characters, passionate romance, and spellbinding adventure, the award-winning author of The Matchmaker and The Bridemaker “demonstrates that she is a master of her craft” (RT Book Reviews).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Inspired by an intriguing bit of historical trivia, Becnel (Heart of the Storm) spins an absorbing, sexually charged tale of revenge and redemption in 12th-century England. Linnea de Valcourt is the youngest of identical twins, a status that nearly condemns her to death in infancy because of the belief that the second of a pair of twins is cursed. Reviled by all, she is befriended only by her "good" twin, Beatrix. When the family's castle falls to conqueror Axton de la Manse, he seeks to secure his claim by marrying the de Valcourts' eldest daughter: Beatrix. To prove her worth to her family, Linnea takes her sister's place, giving her scheming grandmother time to find a more acceptable suitor to claim both Beatrix and the castle. The tension between husband and surrogate wife is unrelenting as they torment and gradually come to love each other, with the heroine's deception powering an exciting climax.