Artwork by Jon Paul |
Lord of the MistLeisure Books A USA TODAY Best Seller and Buy now from Amazon.com Durand de Marle was the warrior lord of Ravenswood Manor...Cristina le Gros fashioned sweet scents to please the ladies of his keep... |
From Terri Brisbin author of THE QUEEN'S MAN. . .
"In her latest book, LORD OF THE MIST, Ann Lawrence has woven an irresistible tale of honor and betrayal, loss and redemption, and the power of love."
From BORDERS bookseller Linda Cutler Smith . . .
"LORD OF THE MIST is an original, witty and sensual (in every meaning of the word) love story. Although set in medieval times, the characters, situations, heartaches and triumphs are timeless. You will care about these characters, and take them into your heart. Overcoming seemingly impossible odds, the hero and heroine remain true to their self-imposed rules of personal honor, yet Ms. Lawrence succeeds in bringing them together in a twisting, turning, and compelling tale. Run, do not walk to your favorite bookstore (hopefully Borders!) for this fine read!"
From reader Margy W. winner of an advance reading copy of LORD OF THE MIST . . .
"I received the arc of LORD OF THE MIST several weeks ago, read it immediately and OMG was it fabulous!!! I tend not to read many historicals but this was great. Very true to the time period. It's a good thing I wasn't born during that time...I would have been put to death at a very young age. *eg* [LORD OF THE MIST] was a great read and the first time I've won anything!! I'm still smiling!!"
From Anne Black of Romantic Times Magazine . . .
4 1/2 STARS - TOP PICK! (7/01)"With a plot as detailed as treasured tapestry, Ms. Lawrence continues to seduce us into her opulent world of strong, admirable characters and a story that embodies the best of the romance genre. The brutal world of the medieval knight struggling for freedom to love who he likes is brought to exquisite life and guarantees you won't sleep until you finish reading!"
From Suzanne Coleburn of the Belles and Beaux of Romance. . .
"There are more darn twists and turns and surprises in this book. In the back of my romantic mind, I was hoping there would be some way that Cristina and Durand could be together, and of course, I'm not telling how it all comes out. As in LORD OF THE KEEP, Ms. Lawrence does a fabulous job of taking ordinary women with special skills and getting them entangled with the spectacular heroes."Suzanne "Durand Can Come Out of the Mist and Capture Me Now!" Coleburn
From Betty Cox of New and Used Books. . .
Highly recommended!"LORD OF THE MIST is a wonderful read written by one of the very best of today's talented authors. All of the characters are well developed and the characters the author has used from England's turbulent history add to the richness and appeal of the story. In the author's words, LORD OF THE MIST is 'a story of love and lust, honor and betrayal.' Like its predecessor, LORD OF THE KEEP, this book is a definite keeper. "
From Leslie Tramposch of ParaNormalRomance/PNR. . .
"Ann Lawrence has shown her versatility as a writer, alternating between a virtual fantasy series and her medieval historical romances. The common denominator between the two is the strength or her heroines, and the courage of her heroes, as they fight seemingly insurmountable odds to grab the brass ring."
From Carol Carter of Romance Reviews Today
"This is a tale of good versus evil, and features enemies, treachery and political intrigue. Ms. Lawrence takes you into the Middle Ages when kings ruled, and a rage or a whim could destroy life. LORD OF THE MIST is a superbly written piece of fiction that takes place during the time of King John's reign and brings that period of history right into your home. Find a cozy place and treat yourself to a wonderful time with the LORD OF THE MIST, the second medieval written by Ann Lawrence, and I hope not the last."
Prologue...
The forest of Ravenswood Manor, England, September 1204
Cristina knelt among the tree roots and gathered ferns for her nosegays. She worked quickly for the men who escorted her, three woodcutters, were almost finished their task.
Little light remained to guide them along the road to the village and mist enveloped the land. It curled from the nearby stream, entwined low hanging branches, and obscured the men who bundled twigs nearby.
As she rose, the ground beneath her trembled. Her heart in her throat, she stared ahead between the trees for those who must be coming straight toward her.
Horsemen.
"Cristina," one of the woodcutters called. "Beware!"
She stepped deeper into the protective shadows. A phalanx of horses burst into view, tearing the web of mist by the stream.
The lead horse, huge, towering, black as night, churned the ground a scant five feet before her, its rider oblivious to her presence in the shelter of the trees. The ferns fell from her fingers as the beat of hooves stole her breath.
More horsemen coalesced from the mist behind the leader.
His black mantle flew like two wings from his shoulders. She knew him by the heavy gold torque about his neck, the black and gold caparison on his horse.
Ravenswood's lord--Durand de Marle.
She maintained her place, struck to stone by the massive horses, the wind that tore at her gown.
"Did you see him?" one of the men asked her.
"Who?"
"Why, the king."
"Nay, I did not see him," she whispered.
The horsemen were spirits riding the wind as they burst through the fog. They were close enough to touch, a king among them, but she had seen only him.
They thundered past, shaking the earth, filling the air with the scents of horses, men, leather, and steel.
The mist swirled in and he was gone.
