Love's Own Crown

Well I've had this book on my shelf for a long time and ewhen I found it I remembered why I bought it in the first place. The story is on of love at first sight. The hero, Sir Reyner, is King Richard the Lionheart's champion. He is with the King as he travels to the Holy land for a Crusade. The English are joining forces with the French in thier quest to free the Holy lands. The Heroine, is the beautiful, blind Alouette. She is the [bad] sister of King Phillip. She wishes to join a convent but her brother insists on her coming along to play the lute for him. He harbors a secret that is tearing him apart and the guilt and shame he feels everytime he see's her is eating at him.Alouette is seen by Reyner once and he falls in love with instantly. He must have her and is willing to do anything to make her his. She soon finds herself torn between her decision to take the veil and her love and passion for Reyner.There are other factors keeping the two lovers apart. The politics of the time, the Crusade itself and an evil that is striving to keep them from finding happiness in each other's arms.I really enjoyed this story. It is filled with history and the decriptions of the power the King's of that time wielded amazed me. I learned a few things about history which I didn't know.If you can get a copy of this book do. It is wonderfully written and I'm so glad I found it again.