HONOR BOUND
The Witchblade Chronicles #1
Written and Published by C.J. Archer
February, 2011
Isabel's quiet life as an assistant to one of London's famous apothecaries hides a deadly secret. A secret that could see her put on trial for witchcraft if the authorities uncover the truth. But when the authority figure who turns up at her shop is Sir Nicholas Merritt, she's at risk of losing more than her life. She could lose her heart and soul, and the man she loves.
Royal spy Sir Nicholas Merritt can't believe his luck when he stumbles upon Isabel during an investigation. He's been searching for her for seven long years and now he has her again, in his bed and his life. Except she's resisting all the way. Worse still, she's somehow tangled up with a plot to assassinate the queen. To hold onto her this time, he must find out why she left him while hiding a secret of his own that could tear them apart forever.
CJ Archer Blog
A few weeks ago I reviewed a book about the history of the house. I stated that if you like historical fiction, even of the paranormal variety it would be a a good book to read.
While the language used is modern and I can't attest for all the research, Archer does areasonable job with it. One example is the lack of privacy in sleeping arrangements and acceptance of that as a matter of course. As foreign as that is to us, people were much more accustomed to having another person in bed.
Anyone who has ever had mother-in-law issues will appreciate Isabel's predicament; these are some strong female characters. Isabel and her mother-in-law were both pretty fierceBut where Isabel was a witch, her mother-in-law was a real|3itch!
The paranormal aspect of this story stems from genetic telekinetic and clairvoyant healing powers passed through Isabel's mother. The powers seem to "come on" at some point after puberty, or marriage. As is often the case the powers can be used in a protective capacity, pushing or throwing an object in defense, or they can be used to knit wounds. As we say, all science was magic before one could explain it. A woman who knew simple herbal cures was often denounced as a witch. Someone who could do what Isabel would have found revelation of those skills to be dangerous.
Isabel's strength would have been great if she could leave her husband to protect him and find her way in the world, in a man's profession. And, not wishing to suffer the rejection due to her powers that her mother had experienced in her relationship to her own husband, she flees. In this case it is the strenegth of ill-will from her mother-in-law that pushes her out.
Mostly this book was well written. I thought it a bit sappy in the dialogue, and in that aspect modern versus Elizabethan. The pace was very quick and a lot happens. The certainty of the outcome was pretty long in coming. There were several scenarios I could have seen playing out.
I got this as a free promotion on Amazon. It is no longer free but it is still a good value. It's not Shakespeare but it is entertaining. I can recommend it to people who like historicals, mysteries, or romance novels.
