Mystique

Quick, Amanda

ISBN 10: 0553096982 / ISBN 13: 9780553096989

Published by Bantam, 1995

Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00088900807

Synopsis:

In search of a mysterious green crystal that holds the key to his legacy, Sir Hugh, a fierce medieval warrior, descends on Lingwood Manor and comes face to face with the fiercely independent, strong-willed Lady Alice. 150,000 first printing. $260,000 ad/promo.

Reviews: YA?A delightful journey into Norman England. Seeking to escape her domineering uncle and to arrange a better future for her brother, Alice agrees to become betrothed to the fearsome knight, Hugh the Relentless, who needs a competent household manager. Alice settles into her new home but must rescue her new friend and neighbor, Lady Emma, the wife of Hugh's sworn enemy. Later, Hugh himself is poisoned. But by whom? The plot encompasses folk superstitions and shows how humans can be taught to hate, often without reason. The central characters come to life in full detail; their witty dialogue provides an amusing diversion in the tradition of Julie Garwood. Some period customs are explained but the actions are more important to the plot. Suspense and excitement are developed as Hugh and Alice learn to love one another in true soap-opera fashion.?Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Strong, independent women are bestselling author Quick's (Mistress) forte, and her newest heroine, Lady Alice, is no exception. A medieval lass of a practical cast, she's lively, determined and sharp-tongued?and she's a whiz of an herbalist, too. At 23, she fears no man, not even Hugh the Relentless, the warrior-knight with whom she initially grapples, and eventually gropes, in order to safeguard a better future for herself and her handicapped, 16-year-old brother. Alice and Hugh strike a bargain and become business partners: she will find the last stolen, mystical Stone of Scarcliffe (which Hugh needs to establish his control over his newly acquired lands); and Hugh will pay for her brother's education on the continent and provide Alice with a dowry. Intrigued by the bold Alice, the knight agrees to her outrageous proposal. However, he makes one of his own: he will support her brother, but, in return, she must become his wife. They set off to find the mystical stone (the key to a hidden treasure), only to find more than they bargained for?a curse, a murder, a villain from the past and, of course, that they are in love. Fast-paced and entertaining, this romance, like Alice, accomplishes everything it sets out to do.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

For her newest romance, Quick reaches back to medieval times. Verbally and romantically jousting in this novel are Lady Alice and Hugh the Relentless, who strike a bargain in order to obtain a crystal to which both lay claim. In order to pursue their search, they announce their engagement, a commitment that Lady Alice plans to break and Lord Hugh secretly plans to convince her to keep. Lady Alice wants the crystal for academic interest--she is a scholar of natural philosophy and plans to enter a convent where she can study in peace for the rest of her life. The crystal is part of a legend surrounding the land Hugh has recently inherited, and the peasants believe it is the key to their prosperity. By the time Lady Alice and Lord Hugh complete their search, naturally, they fall in love. Quick creates an interesting array of villains and minor characters and adds subplots that give her novel more depth than a typical historical romance. Denise Perry Donavin

Bibliographic Details

Title: Mystique
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: 1995
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good