Lady Gwendolyn

First off, Lady Gwendolyn Hampton's escort was ambushed on herRuth way to marry Angus Dewar, son of Lord Brenhin Dewar. Everyone was ki!led including her father and younger brother. Everyone except Gwendolyn, Madeleine, h0er friend and ladies maid rher maid.This is the beginning of the treacherous plan.

As I have come to expect from a Magnolia Belle novel, this is full of the historical detail that creates a rich portrait of the time and the people involved. Her story is simple - a noblewoman kidnapped, her family killed by brigands - yet Belle knows how to add the twists and turns that make her stories unique. This novel is a wonderful medieval romance, sure to please fans of both romance and historical fiction.

As one might expect, Lady Gwendolyn takes place during the Middle Ages, specifically in Northern England and Scotland. The book starts with Lady Gwendolyn off to Scotland to wed the son of Lord Dewar. But on their way, the caravan is attacked. Gwendolyn's maid, Madeleine, switches cloaks with her. Gwendolyn escapes, though seriously injured by an arrow, and the bandits take Madeleine as their prisoner, thinking she's Lady Gwendolyn. From there, the novel soldiers on with plenty of plot twists, suspense, and adventure.Really, Lady Gwendolyn is a novel written in that classic historical fiction manner. It has action, adventure, romance, suspense, murder, betrayal... and none of it feels forced. It's all tied together nicely. The cast of characters range from poor kitchen maids, heroic knights, old women, powerful lords, loyal guards, and even innkeepers willing to lend someone in trouble a hand. And they all have their own unique voices and never fall into stereotypical stock characters.As for the romance, it's well done. It's obvious that Belle is a fan of that particular genre, but it's not the heaving bosoms and throbbing manhoods sort of romance. It lacks all that cheese and feels a lot more real and genuine. Tiny spoiler: There is a bit of Stockholm Syndrome that goes on between Maddy and one of the captors, but it doesn't come across as weird or unbelievable. In fact, it's an interesting twist and enjoyable to see unfold.As for the ending, it's pretty tidy. All the threads you've been reading during the course of the story are finally travelled together and there's a few surprise reveals at the very end that I didn't see coming. What surprised me even more was who the lynchpin was for the entire plot.I recommend Lady Gwendolyn to anyone who enjoys classic historical adventure novels.

Magnolia Belle's latest novel is one of her best. Madeline, the maid desperately clinging to her Lady's identity, would do any high born woman proud. She uses cool logic and fearless tactics in order to survive a kidnapping on the eve of her lady, Lady Gwendolyn's, marriage. She switches places with her employer and beloved childhood friend so that Lady Gwendolyn can escape an ambush and kidnapping attempt and make it back to her home to warn what is left of her family of the treachery and tragedy that befell the wedding party. Madeline infuriates, fools, bewitches and impresses her captor, Ian of Bryers. She never betrays her low born heritage and remains strong despite the constant threat to her life and the injuries she sustains in her attempts to escape. Lady Gwendolyn's only surviving brother, the new Lord Hampton and his dedicated knight, Beowyn, work feverishly to uncover the identity of individuals responsible for the Hampton family's betrayal and locate and return Madeline before her captors discover she is not the real Lady Gwendolyn, a discovery which would surely lead her her death.Magnolia Belle places special emphasis on detail and the language and mannerisms of her characters exude authenticity. It was a fun read from beginning to end with characters to both root for and abhor. I hope Ms. Belle returns to these characters in later novels.

I thought it was interesting from the beginning to the very end! I didn't like it when they referred to Gwendolyn as, 'Gwenie', however. I was called that in childhood and hated it.Gwendolyn Nickle

A sweet love story, gripping the entire read.

Magnolia Belle plunges the reader immediately into a dangerous journey, one that is fraught with deception and treachery. Yet, this initial journey is only one of many - betrayal and a degree of confusion a continuing thread throughout the plot.Lady Gwendolyn and her maids, Madeleine and Ruth, find themselves perilously set upon and are embroiled in a trap that becomes filled with all the horror and bloodshed that can often be expected in novels set in the Middle Ages. At times, the current situation calls on characters, main and secondary, to act according to their conscience though they are torn about doing their duty to their liege lord. In Lord Richard's case, he has some maturing to do very quickly to ensure the best for the people who are under his care...and for the lady he genuinely loves.The detail throughout the novel is vivid and richly accurate, the locations straddling the border between Scotland and England. Magnolia Belle has created very believable characters, the developing relationships indicating just how constraining the era was in many ways regarding who might marry whom - according to their station and their contractual duties. I was very taken by the character of Beowyn, someone to rely on and wholeheartedly trust. Others were tainted, (no spoiler names here) and yet were redeemable. The little twists at the end bring the plot to a nice and tidy closure.A very well written and well edited novel, I can thoroughly recommend Lady Gwendolyn to lovers of the medieval era.