By Possession

Okay, yes: a romance novel. But in terms of well-written sexy brilliance, this takes the cake. Most romance-novel heroines are dippy virgins; most heros are deeply muscled jerks (if not rape apologists). Here, Our Darling Moira is twice widowed - and Our Dear Addis pays more attention to his godawful scar than his glorious muscles - and they both seriously grow as characters - in between all the humping - and moreover, their relationship just makes sense.

There are a few cringeworthy moments, but there's a lot more hilarity. ("You're lying here in a brothel being licked by a whore and you question my virtue?")

Plus it totally cemented my friendship with K. So. Four stars. Yes. Oh! Addis!

BP is the second book published in Hunter's medieval series but is actually the first book chronologically and takes place in 1326 at the end of Edward II's reign. Addis de Valence who has been presumed dead returns to his home only to discover that his wife and father are dead, and his stepbrother has taken over his estate. Addis is a crusader knight and for the past 8 years was a captured slave in the Baltics until his lover helped him to escape.

Moira Falkner is the daughter of Edith who was a bondswoman and his father-in-law's mistress. Edith and Moira were freed on his deathbed but there are no witnesses or papers to prove this fact. So Addis takes advantange of this lack of evidence and refuses to recognize her free state and show more claims her as his bondswoman and assumes that she will become his whore, just as her mother was a whore. After all, like mother like daughter. But Moira is one massively stubborn woman to match Addis's massively arrogant ego and he has met his match. Moira accepts the bond until she can acquire proof but refuses to stoop to becoming his mistress.

The sexual tension is so thick between them throughout most of the book. I loved Moira's strength and how she refuses to be cowed or controlled by Addis. I became extremely frustrated with Addis and wanted to knock him upside the head through most of the first half of the book. But when an extremely alpha male like him falls in love it packs an emotional punch.

Addis is determined to regain his birthright that was stolen by his stepbrother and he and Moira journey to London to seek help from the king. The political intrigue provided an excellent backdrop for this great love story and was realistically portrayed. Moira is equally determined to marry a freemason who is her equal in the rigid medieval social structure. Moira has been in love with Addis since before his doomed marriage, but he never noticed her. Slowly he falls in love but lords and peasants in the Middle Ages didn't marry. The expected outcome in those days would be for Moira to become his mistress but Moira stubbornly refuses and I greatly respected her for it. Don't worry though, there are some very lovely sex scenes. But how do they get a happy ending? I won't spoil it for you. Just suffice to say that there was a very satisfying ending and you won't want to miss it. (Grade: B+) show less

I was not into this plotline, I found it tiresome and couldn't wait to get to the end.

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2010/02/by-possession-by-madeline-hunter.html

was disappointed considering the rave reviews; couldn't even finish it; the storyline was long and boring;

(blank)

headless woman cover