I wanted to like this book since it's set in England in one of my favorite time periods, but I was severely disappointed. I liked the idea of the story, and some of the plot, but otherwise the execution was just not my cup of tea. It's a family saga, more or less following one woman from her early years when she has a "passionate" love affair which spark off a series of events that follow her through the rest of her life.

It was a slog. I didn't care about any of the characters who were all terribly flat, and all spoke in long winded paragraphs of exposition. With many exclamation points! Like this! They always talked like this! There was just so much telling, and most of the plot twists were predictable. The setting and time period hardly influenced the story except in the broadest possible sense, so it didn't really work as historical fiction or romance. Very disappointing all around. ( )

Splendidly readable family drama, though not quite achieving the level of the author's Bridges over Time or Norman Chronicles series. As a supporter of Richard III's innocence in the matter of the murder of the Princes in the Tower, she is rather selective in the historical evidence that gets mentioned in the narrative, but this is not the main point of the story. One other small point is that there seem to be an implausibly large number of characters who live until their seventies or eighties, a rare occurence in the 15th century. But this book, like her other novels, gives a very good feel for the ebb and flow of Medieval life. ( )

An excellent story, it drew me to the end. The characters were believable and their desperation and dedication were admirable. ( )

This is a historical novel of ambition, class warfare and thwarted love. The Lanyon's are hardworking, tough (frequently bullying), tenants working land belonging to the gentry family, the Sweetwaters. As the novel opens, Richard Lanyon becomes the tyrannical patriarch after the death of his father. A fracas at his father's funeral intensifies his resentment of his landlords, and Richard will devote a great deal of his life, and through main force, that of his family, in rivalry. He arranges a sensible, advantageous marriage for his son, Peter, with Liza Weaver, although neither of the the prospective bridal couple wants the match. Nonetheless, they try to make the best of their situation, and struggle with the demands and disruptions of war and family tragedy. A very gripping and moving book with a complex story. ( )