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Rumors at Court (Royal Weddings) Kindle Edition

by Blythe Gifford (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
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Wed by royal command!

Widow Valerie of Florham wants nothing more than to forget her abusive marriage and live peacefully at the mercy of no man. She'd never have dreamed of a liaison with handsome Sir Gil Wolford, but then comes a royal decree—they must wed!

Gil craves military conquest in Castile, far from his haunted past. Marriage to Lady Valerie is the last thing he should want, yet both have truths to hide from the rumormongers at court. They have no choice…and, once wed, the marriage bed changes everything!
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  1. Print length
    257 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Harlequin Historical
  5. Publication date
    May 1, 2017
  6. File size
    1367 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

4-Stars "...delights on every level, from the sumptuous settings tothewhispered, but no less devastating, rumors spinning through theroyalcourt. ...as her fans know, Gifford'scharacters arealways well developed and...deeply resistant to a newpassion...until, of course, love gets its way..." --RTBookreviews.com

About the Author

After years in marketing, Blythe Gifford started writing seriously after a layoff. Ten years and one layoff later, she sold to the Harlequin Historical line. Set in England and Scotland of the 14th to 16th centuries, her books usually include real historical events and characters. The Chicago Tribune called her work “the perfect balance between history and romance.” Blythe lives in Chicago and welcomes visitors to www.blythegifford.com and www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01M0O2S8I
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harlequin Historical; Original edition (May 1, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 1, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1367 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 257 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

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Blythe Gifford

Blythe Gifford

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After many years in public relations, advertising, and marketing, Blythe Gifford started writing seriously after a corporate layoff. Ten years and one layoff later, she became an overnight success when she sold her Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist manuscript to Harlequin.

She has since written historical romances set in England and Scotland, in time periods ranging from medieval to seventeenth century, usually using actual events as a springboard.

The Chicago Tribune has called her work "the perfect balance between history and romance" and her books have finalled in the Readers Crown, More than Magic, and Lories contests.

She lives and works along Chicago's lakefront and juggles writing with a consulting career. She loves to have visitors at www.blythegifford.com ,"thumbs up" at www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford, "tweeps" at www.twitter.com/BlytheGifford, and followers at www.pinterest.com/BlytheGifford

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Janice/Robert W. Laird
5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed "Rumors at Court"
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2017
Verified Purchase
Really enjoyed "Rumors at Court"! The blurb does not adequately capture this sweet, thoughtful romance. Two lonely people with battered souls are forced to marry out of duty to their king and country, only to find love and healing. (I love a story that tears me up at the end!) Kudos also to Blythe Gifford on her understanding of this historical era. She convincingly sticks to the mores and culture of the times, instead of forcing more modern attitudes on her already-relatable characters. Will read this author again.
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Laurie A. Kingery
5.0 out of 5 stars ... with a look at John of Gaunt and his love, Katherine Swynford
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
A fabulous read with well-researched medieval details with a look at John of Gaunt and his love, Katherine Swynford, as well as a hero and heroine worth rooting for.
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KMS
3.0 out of 5 stars Certain audience required
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
The author did a great job with her historical research. The characters were interesting and well-planned. But.... the entire story misses a spark.
Sir Gil is so ashamed by his criminal yet noble family, that he has thrown himself into serving his Lord John of Gaunt- 3rd son of the king. John married a Spanish princess and intends to have himself crowned king of Castile. To escape his family shame, Gil obsesses about living in Castile.
Lady Valerie has been thankfully widowed by a terrible man. She was beaten and emotionally destroyed. All she wants is to putter about her garden without men in her life. Sadly like kings do, she and Gil are forced to wed. This is a clean book, which is fine if the spark and emotion are there, but it’s not. The marriage bed does not happen until almost 80%, and by then, I did not care.
Most of the book is talking, but goes nowhere. There’s no villain, no terrifying storm or illness. Just yak yak yak, my family is evil, my husband was mean, when will we invade Spain ...
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Brutally Honest Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, historically accurate romance in the Middle Ages. What's not to love?
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2017
I think my love for historical romance is pretty well-known to anyone who reads my reviews by now, but I admit to a particular soft spot for historical romances that weave in actual historical personages and events into the storyline. Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh Princes trilogy is perhaps the most shining example of the type, and if you enjoyed those, you'll absolutely love this.

Rumors at Court (though it should be Rumours with a u, this is set in England) is centred around a fictional couple, Valerie of Florham and Sir Gil Wolford. Valerie is a lady-in-waiting to Constanza, rightful Queen of Castile, lately married to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, a son of Edward III - and the father of the Lancastrian dynasty which included Henry IV, V and VI, AND the father of the York and Tudor dynasties, father to a Queen of Portugal AND a Queen of Castile.

(John of Gaunt was a busy kinda guy, and one of my favourite historical figures).

Constanza takes a liking to Valerie, recently widowed, and takes her into her household. Valerie's former husband was a brutish sort and she is more than happy to serve the queen rather than be ordered to marry again.

Sir Gil Wolford is one of John of Gaunt's most trusted knights, a capable warrior and commander. Ordered to marry Valerie, he is aware that neither of them have any choice, but is still determined to treat her gently and respectfully.

The story follows Valerie and Gil over the space of a year or so, from an (awkward) first meeting, through growing respect between them, to their eventual marriage and beyond. They were separated for weeks and months at a time due to the fact that they were at both at the mercy of the whims of their monarchs, and the story does not gloss over this fact.

Blythe Gifford has a deft way with words, taking a story that is in many ways rather melancholic (John of Gaunt was in love with a lady named Katherine Swynford, who was also in Constanza's household... AWKWARD) and giving it a hopeful air, making Gil and Valerie front and centre in the story. That's no easy feat considering the other extremely compelling characters in the narrative.

I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading Blythe Gifford's other works. She really knows her history and she weaves a compellingly realistic tale of love in the Middle Ages.

Five stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
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