My Beloved

This is the 2nd novel by Karen Ranney that I've read this past year. I read "Till Next We Meet" (very good) and now "My Beloved". She is a new author for me and so far, a pleasure to have found! I think that if you are a true historical romance fan and have read hundreds if not a thousand or more books during your lifetime (as I have since high school), then you will understand what I will say. Many authors write really strong tales but, often they fall short in many ways. Whether it is due to poor editing, poor publishing houses, poor press or more, fall short they do. It's just something that happens be it in the begging, middle or end. The characters loose their steam, the story line gets confusing or boring, the action is peaked too early, the ending too neat and tidy, scenes don't make sense, etc. Some books are sexy & lusty, some dark and intense, some rich and passionate, some violent and angry, some sad and morose, some happy and witty and so on. Few books and fewer authors manage to capture in each book the essence of the main characters, the true depth of a story line and the complex emotions of human nature to pull the reader in and captivate them completely. I also don't buy romances for the sex scenes alone. I want it all - passion, intensity, intrigue and deep love. When I finish a story, I want to feel sad that the characters are now gone to me. Sad that the imaginary setting that I found so fascinating is now gone to me. Sad that a world existed in someone elses mind so vividly and yet I was granted special visiting privileges to visit and dream for awhile too. When I close that last page, turn the novel over and gently smooth my hand over the cover of the book one last time, I know I will be missing something special that was mine for just a short time. It is now gone forever. Only thoughts remain. What a joy that is! I found that in this book, "My Beloved". The story itself was woven with thought and a skilled hand at writing. I liked how we met Sebastian in the prison and then his life after as a dark, brooding and secretive monk back at his flourishing castle, estate and city holdings. He seemed dark, mysterious and fascinating. All loved him but, all stayed away from him. I liked how we met Juliana at the convenant with the religious sisters and her life as a child bride never claimed by her groom. Sebastian finally claimed his wife by sending for her and making a pact with her after he left the holy wars and prison. You finally get to meet the couple together early in the book. It is amazing to see two people go through so many events as the story plays out and remain at essence who they always were but....become even more through life challenges. They have hidden depths you never knew and evolve into even more wonderful peolpe as the story goes on. I enjoyed and was drawn in by all the secrets that Sebastian withheld - the mystery of who and what he was all about was genuinely interesting. Especially since you f

I read The Da Vinci Code last summer, and have been intrigued by its secrets ever since. After reading the review on TRR, and finding out this involved the Treasure of the Cathars, I knew I had to read this book. I wanted to see if it really revealed the Holy Grail of Dan Brown's book. It does, but not in much detail; In fact, it kind of skims over it. Karen Ranney must have done her research through the book Holy Blood Holy Grail or another book dealing on the subject, since her book came out first. This book may be a little wordy, but for those of us who are interested in history that may have been kept from us, it's very intriguing. I also liked the way the characters got to know each other before having sex. All in all, a good read.

That was the question that came to my mine when I saw the average rating of this book. For me, I found this book to be neither BORING nor SLOW as it was stated in those nagative reviews. In fact, this is a masterpiece of an incredibly touching love story feathering the most memorable scenes I've ever encountered in one book. This is a book that'll always remind me of the reasons why I shouldn't giving up reading romance. An undisputed keeper.I did realise then that this isn't a book for everybody. Some might find this book to be lack of excitements because the story mainly focus on of the main charactors and their relationships with just a few actions or suspenses. This book also doesn't suit those who're looking for the usual elements in medieval romance like a revenge angle, an evil villain, a damsel in distress or a big misunderstanding. However, if you're looking for a unique love srory or if you read a book just for the contentment of seeing the power of love and being loved, don't miss this one.

I just closed the covers of My Beloved and signed on here to read all the glowing reviews. Imagine my shock when I came across such a polarized range of viewpoints and a shocking number of them negative. This book entranced me from the first page -- from the childhood separation of Juliana and Sebastian to their eventual emotional resolution, I was spellbound. The prose is lyrical and full of rich depth, the love scenes both sensual and compelling. What's not to love? Slow moving? Give me a break...some of the best romances don't gallop along, they meander gracefully and let the reader savor every step. My best friend is a calligrapher, so maybe that's why I found the scenes in the scriptorum so intriguing (this seemed to be a frequent complaint of the naysayers). I thought that that unusual skill added character to Juliana. And as for Sebastian's dark secret, well, someone spilled the beans to me before I read the book and I STILL found his plight and his longing for his wife to be heartbreaking. This is what the craft of writing romance is all about -- emotional tension, sexual chemistry and enough historical detail to make it all seem convincing. I salute you, Karen Ranney, and I spit in the general direction of your critics (to borrow an apt insult from Monty Python and the Holy Grail).

Sebastian of Langlinais is a man of many secrets. He has to outwit the Templars to save his land and people. As part of his plan, he sends for Julianna, the Langlinais Bride. They married as children and she has spent the last twelve years in a convent. This is an unforgettable love story. The characters touch your heart and soul. The book is not to be missed. Dust off a space on your bookshelf because this is a definite keeper. It will be read over and over again until the pages fall out. It is a story that could only have been written by Karen Ranney, with her unique talent and ability to see into the souls of her characters and bring them to life on a written page, to be cherished by her readers. The book is wonderful. Ms. Ranney is an exceptional talent. May her star shine for a very long time.