The Damsel: The Bride Quest #2

I did enjoy this book very much. It has a great plot and great characters. I give it a five star.

Years earlier Burke de Montvieux fell in love with Alys of Kiltorren. However, she was an illegitimate orphan mistreated by an aunt determined to capture Burke for one of her own daughters. Caught together in a compromising position, Burke is sent away and Alys becomes little more than a slave to her family. Years pass and Burke still cannot forget his lost love. Bidden by his sister-in-law, Princess Brianna, to seek the woman who holds his heart and to win her hand, Burke returns to Kiltorren. The Alys he finds, however, believes that he betrayed her. Believing he has arrived to take one of her cousins as a bride and her as a mistress, Alys spurns him. Undaunted, Burke agrees to several conditions to prove his sincerity and regain her trust. Finding out that Alys cannot wed unless her cousins marry first, he vows to find husbands for her cousins. A daunting task, indeed. Claire Delacroix has crafted an enchanting retelling of the story of Cinderella complete with wicked relatives and even a pair of slippers fit for a princess. Readers will want to cheer Burke on as he woos his lady fair and feel for Alys as she struggles to overcome years of abuse. Medieval Ireland comes to vivid life in this story, filled with interesting characters that we come to care about. Will Alys ever find out the truth about her parents? Will her repellant relatives get their just desserts? Can Burke find husbands for the cousins? All will be revealed between the pages of THE DAMSEL! TheSchemer

This is a must read book. I found the story to be exciting. I must disagree with Ms. Giggles review above. What does a castle without guards have to do with this story? NOTHING! I plan on reading The Princess and the Heiress now.

The Damsel is one of the best books that I've read in a while. Guarantee to set your heart beating. If you like Cinderalla and happy endings, this is it!

I disagree with both prior reviews of this book, because I think they miss the point. Maybe this book isn't historically accurate, but it has the ingredients that make it utterly charming. A take on a Cindrella story, it draws you back to your childhood, and fulfils the longing for the Knight in Shining Armour. And yet Claire Delacroix brings in a couple of nineties touches - the hero doesn't have any money, and the heroine saves the day! (I'll say no more...) I like that Alys didn't immediately throw herself into Rourkes arms - I can understand the hesitency in believing that it wasn't all too good to be true. The characters are engaging, and the side plots too are intriguing. Not the most deep profound book perhaps, but sweet, charming, and great to curl up in bed with. I grinned and sighed my way through it...