[.ca] My Forever Love (ISBN 0786272538)

exciting medieval romance:
When Ciaran Tamberlane joined the Crusaders, he believed that he was doing something noble for God. He lost his faith in King Richard the Lionhearted when the royal ordered the mass genocide of Saracen prisoners. Still he fought on because the thought he was on God's side until he watched a brother knight about to kill an injured woman and her baby. His faith in God's goodness died that day. He now lives on his English estate with no ties to the aristocracy or the church, caring for the peasants who toil on his land. Knights burn down a nearby village slaughtering without regard. Ciaran and his squire kill the marauders. He takes an injured woman, who wants to die, to his castle. As Amaranth de Langois heals, she feels guilty that she caused the massacre by hiding in the village from her abusive spouse. Her husband demands that Tamberlane return his wife to him, but instead Ciaran vows to protect Amie even if the King is on the side of the spouse. As they wait for the confrontation, Ciaran and Amie fall in love, but defying duty may lead to the executioner's sword for him and his beloved. This exciting medieval romance paints quite a different timely perspective of the Crusades, as atrocities in the name of God are part of the war. The action packed story line is character driven; readers will cherish the courageous Ciaran who refuses to go along even when God and King are invoked if he feels it is wrong. Sub-genre fans will appreciate this delightful historical tale starring two honorable individuals. Harriet Klausner

I loved this one:
Ciaran Timberlane is a dishonored knight, living in exile at his uncle's almost deserted castle. Cairan was dishonored after taking up arms against a fellow knight and walking away from a battle during the "crusades" in the mid-east. Cairan was a member of a prestigious knight society that also meant he has devoted his life to god and was also known by many as the Dragon Slayer. Amie de Langois aka. Elizabeth aka. Amaranth is a woman in hiding from her brutal husband, living on Timberlane's land. She escapes her husband after a brutal wedding night and thinks she has killed him. But, he is not dead and is hunting her with a vengeance (hiring mercenaries, killing anyone in his path). Cairan finds her almost dead, after being shot by a crossbow and about to be stabbed and takes her back to castle, and to the healing hands of his albino friend, and healer. Aime finally tells Cairan what is happening and he agrees to help her try to get to a monestary and even hides her when her husband comes looking for her. She turns out to be the illegitimate cousin to Richard the Lionheart and she helps lead Cairan to spring an ambush that is set to kill the King. Along the way the two also find out they are in love with each other and while they both feel that this is wrong you watch their love grow. I liked that in this one the heroine was not a virgin who was going to do whatever anyone told her. Also, it was good to see that there are characters that might have had issues with all the killing in the Cursades.