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Beyond Temptation: The Templar Knights Kindle Edition
From the wonderfully evocative and talented Mary Reed McCall comes the first novel of an exciting new trilogy based on the mysterious and fascinating Knights of Templar.
Sir Richard de Cantor, a highly-skilled warrior, is hampered by guilt over the ambitious, materialistic way he'd lived before he joined the Templar Brotherhood -- a lifestyle he believes led to the death of his young daughter. Lady Margaret Newcomb is a disgraced daughter of a powerful English earl and has led a quiet life of penance and atonement. Though of different backgrounds, in truth they are both lonely, battered by the world, and in desperate need of each other's love and acceptance. Their fragile relationship is soon threatened when the French Inquisition makes its way to England, and Richard is faced with charges for his position as a Templar Knight, only to have their love further tested when someone from Meg's past reappears with the power to tear the two apart.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarperCollins e-books
- Publication dateOctober 13, 2009
- File size1441 KB
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Editorial Reviews
From the Author
BEYOND TEMPTATION: The Templar Knights, tells the tale of two honorable people living in troubled times: Sir Richard de Cantor, the younger brother of Braedan, from THE CRIMSON LADY - all grown up now, a Templar Knight, and a tormented, powerful, and sinfully handsome force to be reckoned with - and Lady Margaret Newcomb, a beautiful yet fallen noblewoman whose heart has been deeply wounded in the past. When the two meet, passions spark and the chance for love beckons, forbidden though it might be...but first they must find the courage to face and conquer all the darkness, pain, and betrayal that has haunted them both for so long.
I invite you, gentle reader, to venture with me into a world of great beauty and great evil, of life-and-death choices, intrigues, and desperate affairs of the heart...into a realm of honorable warriors, valiant ladies, kings, and champions - all set against the backdrop of the mysterious, secret brotherhood known as the Knights Templar. I can only promise that I have done my best to detail on paper all the romance and adventure of Richard and Meg's story as it unfolded in my imagination - and offer my sincere hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. As always, to those of you who do decide to do so, thanks for coming along on the journey.
Best Wishes, Mary Reed McCall
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Beyond Temptation
The Templar KnightsBy McCall, Mary ReedAvon Books
ISBN: 0060593687Chapter One
Hawksley Manor, East Sussex
A week later
By all the saints, it was too soon to be happening again. Another cry rang out, thin and desperate, echoing off the walls of the main chamber asMeg rushed from where Willa, the cook, had come to find her in the buttery. The sobbing that rose up after that cry bit into Meg's soul, and shehurried the remaining steps into the large hall.Aye, it was toosoon for another spell. Eleanor's last one had been but a sennightago.
In the dim light it was difficult to locate her cousinEleanor's wasted form, but the sobs drew Meg to the spotsoon enough; she crossed to where Eleanor was huddled,weeping and rocking in the shadows behind the massivecarved chest that held some of the family's silver.
"Hush now, Ella," Meg said gently, crouching and wrapping her arms around the woman's thin shoulders. "All willbe well."
But Eleanor continued to moan and fidget, and Meg sawwith a start that her cousin's arms were empty of their usualburden. Of course. Meg did a quick glance of the area to seeif she could spot the bundled bit of rags and thread; there wasnothing. She gathered Eleanor closer against her, wishingthat the comfort would be enough this time. That Ella wouldcalm and allow herself to be led back to her chamber. And forwhat seemed like the thousandth time since she'd come tothis godforsaken manor two years earlier, Meg cursed theone who had been the start of all this suffering -- a man she'dnever seen but about whom she'd heard countless tales.
She didn't need to have seen Sir Richard de Cantor toknow the truth of what he'd done: He was a man like everyother, who did as he pleased without thought or care to theresults.
White-hot emotion shot through her, startling her with itsvirulence, and she went rigid against the dull aching sheknew would bloom afterward. When it passed, she silentlyberated herself for allowing her own long-buried pain tocreep out into the light again . . . for allowing the shadows ofher past to muddy the waters of what was happening to Ellahere and now. Her own history had nothing to do with thisand no real connection to Eleanor or the husband who hadabandoned her nearly half a decade ago.
Reclaiming her sense of composure by force of sheer will,Meg directed her attention back to Eleanor and whisperedwords of comfort, stroking her cousin's brow and brushingthe tangled strands of her hair from her face. Eleanor's eyesremained wild and unfocused, grief having etched prematurelines of worry between her delicate brows.
Tight-lipped, Meg coaxed her to stand. Hugh would needto be called in to take the watch again. Eleanor's last spelllike this had come to near disaster; she'd broken free of herchamber to climb toward the danger of the crenellations,driven there by the ghosts in her mind. She'd almost flungherself over into oblivion then.
Perhaps it would have been a blessing to end her torment so.
Meg sucked in her breath, stifling the sinful whisper. Nay,her cousin deserved far better, both in this life and the next.No matter how difficult the struggle of each day, theycouldn't risk such a possibility again.
"Peace now, Ella, there is naught to fear," Meg murmured,supporting the woman's fragile weight and pulling her close.At times like this it was difficult to remember that her cousinwas the younger by two years; neither of them had yetreached thirty, but Ella's bones felt as sharp and pronouncedas an old woman's to Meg's touch.
Meg guided her to the corner of the stairs, tugging heralong, at the same time sharing a look of pained understandingwith Willa, nodding her head to the woman with a wordlesscommand to continue looking for the poppet and bring itabove stairs as soon as it was found.
Within a half an hour, she'd managed to help Ella swallowa draught of wine laced with valerian. Then she'd eased herout of her soiled bliaud and made sure she donned freshrobes before tucking her under a blanket in her favorite chairby the fire. With the bundle of rags returned at last to thecrook of her arm, Ella had fallen asleep, though even in thepeacefulness of that release, a perpetual frown marred whatremained of her once legendary beauty.
Sighing, Meg went out into the hall, latching the door shutbehind her. She nodded to Hugh. He'd arrived a few moments ago to take up his old post at the door, his somber eyeskind. A simple man and a smithy by trade, Hugh had beenone of the few loyal villagers to remain on the land afterHawksley's master had abandoned them. Ella would be safefrom harm while he kept the watch.
Perhaps now she might finish the chores she'd only justbegun when all this had started, Meg thought as she made herway back down to the main level of the house. The cheesewheels needed to be turned and the bags of apples pickedthrough for rot before Brother Thomas came and -- "Meg -- oh, Meg! Hurry, by the Holy Savior, Mary, andJoseph -- you have to come quick!"
Meg had just taken the final step into the main hall whenthe cry rang out, bellowed by young James, one of the tanner'ssons. He'd come bursting into the hall from the backdoor near the kitchens, and now he gasped for breath, leaningover to brace his palms on his knees as he struggled to conveythe remainder of his message.
Continues...Excerpted from Beyond Temptationby McCall, Mary Reed Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- ASIN : B000QUCO1C
- Publisher : HarperCollins e-books (October 13, 2009)
- Publication date : October 13, 2009
- Language : English
- File size : 1441 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 388 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 0060593687
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,807,446 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,552 in Medieval Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #3,316 in Medieval Historical Fiction (Books)
- #4,901 in Medieval Historical Romance (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
![Mary Reed McCall](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/21RbTGWRuwL._SY600_.jpg)
MARY REED MCCALL also writes contemporary novels under the pseudonym M. REED MCCALL
Award-winning author Mary Reed McCall (historical)/M. Reed McCall (contemporary) was a finalist for Romance Writer's of America's Best First Book RITA Award and has won the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Medieval Romance. She grew up in a rural area of Upstate New York as part of a large and loving family.
Before becoming a writer, she first considered a career in national security, studying for a brief time at the University of Leningrad before completing undergraduate degrees in Russian and English back in the United States, followed by a Master's degree in English Literature. The sixth of seven girls in her family, Mary now makes her permanent home in New York State, with her husband and children. When she is not writing or involved with family activities, she teaches high school and college level English.
Customer reviews
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2006I found the story BEYOND TEMPTATION to be a thoroughly fascinating and absorbing medieval romance. The story begins on Friday, Oct. 13, 1307 ~ the day King Philip the Fair, of France, ordered the immediate arrest and imprisonment of all men belonging to the Holy Order of the Templar Knights. Following the King's edict, a vile inquisition began that used terrible forms torture to force innocent men to make false confessions of heresy, or die with their righteous denial. Of the thousands of Templars Knights in France at that time, only very few were able to escape the country unharmed...
Frantically forging through a rain soaked forest in France, four desperate horsemen dressed in garb emblazoned with the scarlet cross of the elite Templars Knights are being hunted like animals by the king's men; they stop momentarily to rest and discuss how they will make their way the last few miles to the coast and a chance to board a ship headed for the relative safety of England. The knights agree their best chance to evade capture is to split up and cautiously make their way to Hawksley Manor, Sir Richard de Cantor's home in England; and hopefully a refuge from the dreadful ordeal they were being forced to endure.
When Sir Richard de Cantor arrives home he sadly finds his wife is in very fragile health; and is still suffering from the mental illness that had assailed her before his departure five years earlier. However, he also finds a lovely though unfamiliar woman has taken over the management of his home; someone who has a distinct dislike for Templar Knights and who seems to be annoyed that the Lord of the Manor has returned home unannounced. Meeting Lady Margaret Newcomb causes Richard to feel the stark ache of desire and an unwelcome longing for a women's touch and affections that challenge his most sacred vows.
Lady Margaret Newcomb, youngest daughter of the Earl of Welton, was sent to Hawksley Manor to serve as a nurse companion to her ailing Cousin Eleanor because her father felt the lowly position would teach his daughter obedience and remorse for her past licentious behavior. Meg, although devoted to Eleanor, is willing to perform any menial servant's task so she can stay at the Manor; rather then be forced to return to the life of pain and anguish she was made to suffer when her father sent her to the nunnery. When Meg meets Richard she can't believe how attracted she is to the strong handsome knight with the mesmerizing green eyes, but she knows she must deny her feelings.
Talented author, Mary Reed McCall weaves a powerfully enthralling and heartfelt romantic story around true historical events. She gives her readers an intensely emotional story of the hero, Richard; a tortured soul and a brave and honorable knight who not only must defend himself and the holy order he truly believes in, against a corrupt investigation by the French Inquisition, but who is also forced to return home to confront the heartrending tragedy that caused him to join the Templars in the first place. The author unveils an equally poignant story of our heroine Meg, a gentle caring woman with a strong spirit and a passionate loving nature; whose only sin was to fall in love with a young man below her station, thereby thwarting her father's demand she make an advantageous marriage to a wealthy nobleman.
Ms. McCall skillfully writes a convincing and compelling adventure with many surprising plots twists and turns that keep the reader captivated; as she brings these two emotionally scarred people together, against seemingly unbeatable odds ~ to give them a second chance at a love to last a lifetime.
This was an extremely satisfying story and I heartily look forward to her next book in the series: SINFUL PLEASURES.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2023Such well developed, believable characters in this book. The Templar Knights are such an intriguing subject and McCall did so well in telling this fictional tale while blending in factual information about religion and the dreadful French Inquisition. Her characters spoke in old world language which I really appreciated, making this so authentic. A very moving story about love and loyalty.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2013I was so happy to get this book. I can add it to my Mary Reed McCall collection and series she has. Great buy and on time shipping
- Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2016This pretty solid fiction Templar romance. They get married at the end. Would recommend it to romance readers as well as Templar enthusiasts.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2007Beyond Temptation hooked me from the very first page and didn't let me go until the end. The early fourteenth century is depicted with great accuracy and care, the hero Richard is extremely sexy, brave but warm and tender, and the heroine Meg is great too, strong, independent and passionate - none of your wishy-washy heroines here. I don't understand a previous review that said there's no chemistry between Richard and Meg - for me, their attraction to each other blazed right off the page, and I've rarely read a romance where I was cheering a couple on as much as I did in Beyond Temptation. They're meant for each other, despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their way.
Philip IV of France's arrest of the Knights Templar and the terrible treatment they faced is brilliantly portrayed, and I was delighted to see such a sympathetic depiction of Edward II of England, who did his best to help the Templars.
In conclusion, Beyond Temptation is a compelling, exciting, and moving love story, with countless obstacles and problems for the hero and heroine to face. Both of the main characters are very likeable and come across as real people with pasts, and some of the minor characters have their own novels, which I'm now reading. :)
- Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2006Well. Nothing very interesting was presented. There was not enough background information to really set the story. So, while it was the classic formula romance, it lacked interest for me.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2006The plot was described above. I really enjoyed this book, loved the h/h and their chemistry, the secondary characters, and the incredible tension near the end of the book. I literally bit my nails until I didn't have anymore. I encourage anyone to try this book. I have no idea how any romance lover could dislike it. This is part of a series and I plan on ordering the first book and purchasing the rest.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2007I've never read anything by this author, so I'm not sure if it's just the book, or the author that I took such a dislike to. I'm the kind of person who once I open a book, I need to finish it. Most of the time it takes me 1-2 days. This one however took me over a week. It was boring. It had little to hold my interest. The characters were blah, the plot even more so.
The other reviews told of the entire plot so I'm not going to go into that, but I will share my opinion of the characters. Margaret's whishy washy "Should I, Shouldn't I" continued throughout the whole book and half way through it got very annoying. Sir Richard was a little more interesting, but again it was the "Should I, Shouldnt I" kind of thing. That is not bad if the book has other redeeming qualities, but to me, it didn't. There was no passion or intensity, and no chemistry between the two characters. A good book has you cheering for the hero/heroine and keeps you on the edge of you seat, just waiting till they finally get together. But I was happier that I had actually finished the book, than I was when they finally got together.
I judge the worth of a book by how it draws me in and keeps me there and when reading became a chore, I knew it deserved only one star. A few others liked the book, so I won't tell you not to read it, but to me, it was not worth the time. Hope this helps a little!