The Widow's Kiss - Hardcover

Feather, Jane

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0553801813 ISBN 13: 9780553801811

Publisher: Bantam Books, 2001

Synopsis

Jane Feather has won legions of fans with her irresistible romances that deftly blend mystery and intrigue with exquisitely passionate romance.

Now the New York Times-bestselling author of The Least Likely Bride has penned another seductive tale, the unforgettable story of a beautiful noblewoman who has lost four husbands under mysterious circumstances, and the man who is sent to find out if she is an unlucky victim of fate -- or a black widow whose abundant charms hide a heart of ice....

As a lone and wealthy widow in Henry VIII's kingdom, Lady Guinevere Mallory knew that she was in a precarious position. But she never imagined that when danger arrived, it would be in the form of Hugh of Beaucaire, a man with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. A man of such power and determination that when he rode up to Mallory Hall, intent on claiming a vast tract of her land, Guinevere couldn't suppress a frisson of fear ... or deny a shiver of anticipation.

A seasoned soldier, Hugh had seen his share of battle and known his share of women. But nothing had prepared him for the reality of Guinevere -- a woman so elegant and alluring, with luminous eyes and hair the color of palest wheat. And when she smiled her damnable smile, so filled with invitation, Hugh found himself confused, aroused, and infuriated. For he suspected that the widow had committed the blackest of crimes.

How else could a woman of eight and twenty have been so unfortunate as to bury four wealthy husbands? How else could she have managed to persuade each of them to sign a marriage contract she herself had drawn up -- documents that ensured she would inherit everything they owned upon their deaths?

As Guinevere stalls for time, Hugh begins to investigate her mysterious and tarnished past. Yet even as they try to fathom each other's motives, temptation explodes into a consuming passion, clouding their minds to the coming peril.

Whatever Hugh uncovers, he must escort Guinevere to London to face the king and the terrifying and ruthless power of the Lord Privy Seal. And if Guinevere is indeed charged with murder, Hugh knows there's only one way he can save her -- by taking the risk that he will become the next victim of the widow's kiss....

About this title

Review:

Setting: England 1537

Sensuality: 7

Beautiful, brilliant, and sophisticated, Lady Guinevere Mallory is only 28 but has buried four wealthy husbands. When seasoned soldier Hugh of Beaucaire contests her ownership of a parcel of land, he brings Guinevere's rich estates to the attention of financially needy King Henry VIII, setting in motion events that threaten her status and her life. Traveling to her estate on the King's orders to investigate her fourth husband's death, Hugh expects to find a woman who has earned the label "The Black Widow." Instead, he discovers a lady whose elegance, quick wit, and warmth threaten to make him her next willing victim.

Despite the danger that Hugh poses to her family and holdings, Guinevere finds herself drawn to the handsome soldier but knows she dare not give in to the attraction nor can she allow herself to trust him. In the end, perhaps only Hugh has the power to save her from Henry and Thomas Cromwell's scheme to claim her wealth and destroy her family. Cromwell is not a man who gives up easily, and family members may die if Hugh doesn't learn to trust in Guinevere in time to save them.

Jane Feather has a fine hand for detail in colorful 1530's costuming and the minutiae of life in Henry VIII's England. That vivid scene setting combined with the political scheming and terror instilled by Thomas Cromwell, the equal balance of strength, intelligence, and wariness in hero and heroine, and the warm charm of secondary characters all add up to an excellent historical novel well worth reading.--Lois Faye Dyer

From the Back Cover:

Dear Reader,

When I first saw her, I realized that the miniature portrait I had shown to the king did not do her justice. Lady Guinevere Mallory's beauty transcended even a portrait painter's skill. It was nearly impossible to believe that this woman, who had buried four husbands before her thirtieth birthday, could have used murder and the dark arts of witchcraft to achieve her great wealth.

I carried the king's writ to investigate Lady Guinevere's oft-repeated widowhood. Was it mere coincidence that each death had left her wealthier than the last? The fact that I believed she also held lands that rightfully belonged to my family made my investigations all the more personal and all the more thorough.

Surely, I thought, such a woman would bear some obvious mark of treachery on her countenance, in her manner. But when we met I saw only the beauty of her silver blond hair and her deep violet eyes that seemed to me to offer a glimpse into the intriguing world of her brilliant mind and spirit. I began to wonder how the gentle hands of such an elegant woman, whose cool composure belied her dubious past, could have committed cold-blooded murder.

Now as I learn more about the mysterious widow, I find myself growing more curious about the secrets of her heart -- and more determined to reveal those secrets. Guinevere is the most captivating and intriguing woman I have ever met. I have but one question: Will my interest in her prove to be a fatal one?

-- Hugh of Beaucaire
"Rich in detail and rife with intrigue ... with fine characterizations, sound historical background and an effective evocation of the precarious times when a king's favor or disfavor meant life or death. Striking cover art, romantic yet dignified, will draw in readers."
-- Publishers Weekly on The Widow's Kiss

"Rich characters, sophisticated sensuality, and a skillfully crafted storyline: a first-class historical romance, wonderfully entertaining."

-- Kirkus Reviews on The Widow's Kiss

About this edition

• Publisher: Bantam Books
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0553801813
• ISBN 13: 9780553801811
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 368