The Husband Test

October 22, 2001
Funny and poignant by turns, this absorbing medieval-era romance will beguile readers with its unconventional tone and multifaceted protagonists. Unlike many historical romance heroines, Eloise of Argent isn't a healer, a country maiden or an aristocratic beauty. She's an overly headstrong novitiate at the Convent of the Brides of Virtue whose well-intentioned but disastrous plans to "improve" the abbey have made her the bane of the abbess's existence. When Peril, the impoverished Earl of Whitmore, arrives seeking a bride, the abbess hatches a plan that will rid her of both Eloise and the imposing earl. She decrees that Eloise should accompany Peril to Whitmore to determine if he is worthy of one of the convent's young women. After seeing the dilapidated condition of Peril's estate, Eloise determines that a few "improvements" are in order, but her every effort is met with resistance. She soon learns that the land is supposedly cursed, and only a bride of the highest virtue can set things to right. A charming romance develops between Eloise and Peril as they clash, come together and rebuild. It's been many years since Krahn (Sweet Talking Man, etc.) has written a medieval romance, and her fans will welcome her return.

October 15, 2001
In this historical romance, the aptly named Peril, Lord of Whitmore, arrives at the Brides of Virtue convent, seeking to make one of the nunnery's maidens his wife. But Peril, whose earldom is struggling and whose religious devotion is dubious, isn't guaranteed a wife by the abbess. She instructs ambitious but bumbling novitiate Eloise to be the Husband Judge, deciding whether Peril would be appropriate. When Eloise finds Peril passing " her" husband test, the two begin a courtship riddled with psychological and practical perils. Particularly problematic is Peril's nefarious steward, Hadric. By the time Lord Peril realizes that Eloise's suspicions about Hadric's treachery are dead-on, the couple has married and returned to his estate. A good, old-fashioned medieval battle ensues, but in the end, it's Eloise who saves the day. Her intelligence, strength, and bravery prove mightier than all the king's swords. Genuinely funny Elizabethan sexual puns, a strong but believable heroine, and an absorbing story of forbidden love make this an enjoyable read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)

December 1, 2001
Black Lyne Keep is under siege. English soldiers are camped outside its walls, busy digging tunnels to achieve its capitulation. Reyna Graham takes it upon herself to save her people. Crawling through an undiscovered passage to the outside, she plans to pose as a courtesan, drug the enemy leader, and kill him. Unfortunately for her, Ian of Guilford is also known as "Lord of a Thousand Nights" for his prowess with women and sees through her clumsy attempt. Embarrassed and afraid, Reyna escapes but inadvertently leads him to the hidden passage and into the keep. The situation inside is different from what he expects. Reyna is the widow of Robert of Kelso, an aged man whom the residents believe Reyna murdered. For someone in such a precarious position, she appears quite brave and fearless. Ian finds this strange and yet, somehow, fascinating. Ian and Reyna make an oddly matched but appealing pair as he reveals each layer of the truth to clear her name.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)