I received a free copy from the author and am reviewing of my own choice. All opinions expressed are my own.

When a stranger approaches her with claims of proof her father intends treachery, Helene de Laurant insists it isn't true. She has too much to worry with the Earl of Gunthar arriving to wed her sister. When someone attempts to murder the earl, though, she comes to realize that there is a web of treachery stretching in all directions.

Every now and then, I like to pick up a historical novel set further back than I usually enjoy. I've enjoyed several of this author's other works, so I was excited to read this one. And I have to say, she does not disappoint.

The plot is complicated, but not too much to leave a reader confused. We go from Helene's viewpoint, the younger not as pretty daughter, to Gunthar, a battle-hardened warrior who is determined to see peace in the area. Sparks fly between them and it takes them time to admit the attraction between them.

For readers looking for a clean historical romance, I would highly recommend this one. ( )

SYNOPSIS:
"In twelfth-century France, King Henry II of England has just finished crushing a rebellion by his power-hungry sons and now seeks to tame the lawless barons who supported them in this corner of his “Angevin empire.” To this end, the king has sent the Earl of Gunthar as his royal representative to ensure that Prince Richard and his former cohorts faithfully adhere to the terms of the peace treaty.

Far from being welcomed with open arms, Gunthar no sooner steps foot in the county of Poitou than he is greeted by a series of assassination attempts."

This was such a lovely book! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I first fell in love with the cover, and then the description. I won a copy of the book in a giveaway, and Joyce DiPastena was kind enough to send me an autographed copy, so I was already excited about the book before I even opened it. As I read, I became even more excited because this book has everything you could want in a historical fiction novel: Romance, intrigue, alliances, betrayals, and sword fights! The writing was very well done, with fully fleshed out characters, some you love from the start and some you grow to despise, but that is only because they are described so well you feel like you know them! You definitely become emotionally attached, and when a character is trying to decide where their loyalties lie, you feel the same way because all sides of the conflict are written. Because of the assassination attempts, there is also a mystery involved, and sometimes it's hard to figure out who is good and who is bad as Ms. DiPastena definitely keeps you guessing until the end! I loved the ending as it neatly tied up all of the loose ends and left me smiling.

I highly recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction, and I will definitely be reading more of Ms. DiPastena's books in the future :D ( )

[close] I received this book as a part of the Goodreads First Reads contest. I thought it was an okay novel. As a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed the author's foray into the middle ages. But not being a fan of the romance genre, I didn't really love that aspect of the book. Don't get me wrong, I am a devoted chick-lit reader (mostly due to the humor in the books), but this is far from chick-lit. I also don't mind when romance serves as a backdrop in novels, but my enjoyment wanes when it is the focal point of the plot. The novel wasn't falsely advertised though. It is classified under romance, so I wasn't overly suprised that that was what it mainly was.

I didn't have much of a desire to pick this book up once I set it down. To me, it didn't get riveting until the about the last hundred pages or so. I did like that Lady Helene was sort of a rebel and a non-conformist. She also had this fiery spark to her that I kind of admired, but then when she falls in love with the Earl of Gunther, that spark diminishes quite a bit (and this seems to be my main gripe with romance novels; how a heroine can seem strong at the beginning of the book and then automatically get weak in the knees and lose some of yourself when a handsome guy comes along. Yes, Twilight, I'm glaring at you).

So, it was okay. I don't regret reading it (particularly because it was free), but it didn't blow me away or anything. So, I give it two stars. ( )

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com

The Earl of Gunthar has been sent by King Henry II of England to assure obedience to the terms of the peace treaty with Prince Richard and his rebellious followers. Because eighteen-year-old Helene de Laurant's father was one of Richard's supporters, King Henry believes an arranged marriage between Gunthar and Helene's sister is the only way to assure Laurant's loyalty.

But loyalties are questioned when several assassination attempts are made on Gunthar's life and are linked to people close to the Laurant family. Now, Helene must try to prove her loved ones' innocence by revealing the true killer in their midst.

As she struggles to unravel the truth, she discovers secrets, blackmail, intrigue, and finds herself drawn into a forbidden romance. Helene becomes tangled in a web of loyalty and is unsure whether to reveal the secrets of loved ones or keep quiet and risk losing the man she loves.

DiPastena has woven a wonderful tale set in twelfth-century France. Full of action, romance, and conspiracy, LOYALTY'S WEB drew me in and held me as I traversed the maze of twists and turns to the very last page. I believe this sweet romance with ingenious plot twists will appeal to both adults and teens.

It was my pleasure to be ensnared in LOYALTY'S WEB, and I look forward to DiPastena's next novel, ILLUMINATIONS OF THE HEART. ( )