Hope and Glory

I appreciate books that are not run of the mill, and this one certainly isn't. The story is intense and I loved it.

I liked this book because it was different. Authors should be encouraged to occasionally gift their fans with fresh material that inspires us to suspend belief and applaud imagination. if we want to immerse ourselves in normality all the time, watch the news. I read for fun and enjoyment, and this book delivers on both counts. I hope Ms Sutcliffe writes more just like this one!

This was a great story. While some might be turned-off by the pseudo-mystical side of the story (Hope is a healer whose touch can heal affliction, causing the villagers to refer to her as a "Saint".), those who enjoy a bit of suspended disbelief in their reading will find this one WELL worth their while. I'll be looking for more Katherine Sutcliffe novels in the future.

In 1164 England, Roland de Gallienne is born, but his sire Lord Godfrey fears the lad because an old seer informs him that Roland will one day destroy the family name as a heretic. Due to his father's animosity and phobia, Roland leaves home rather young and soon becomes a mercenary for King Henry II. By 1189, Roland, who has not seen England in three years, is wary of war and looking forward to returning to his native land.Roland stops at Chateauroux Monastery where he prays that his soul will heal. He finds the local healer and diviner, Hope, being held prisoner by the abbot. In spite of the fact that she tries to kill the enemy of her people, Roland helps Hope escape her incarceration. Doing so, they have made an enemy of a powerful church figure. As Roland and Hope flee, they fall in love. However, their two nations prepare for war and they have many enemies on both sides of the Channel. It appears that there is no Hope for Roland to obtain his heart's desire.Devoted fans of historical romance know that Katherine Sutcliffe is one of the best writers of romance in bookstores today. Her latest, twelfth century tale, HOPE AND GLORY, brings to life the final era (for the moment) of the long war between France and England. Readers will adore Roland, once and forever a hero, who needs a miracle to gain the lifetime of happiness he deserves with his only love. Hope is a great role model as she struggles between the needs of her people, her own desires, and her love for Roland. Ms. Sutcliffe has gifted sub-genre fans with a compassionate Medieval romance.Harriet Klausner