The Lion's Lady

Rating:
Summary: The Lion's Lady is one of the best books I ever read!
Review: Betrayed by his late brother and dead wife, Lyon, Marquess of Lyonwood, vowed upon never getting married again. "People change after they're married," he thinks. But then, after spotting Princess Christina at a party, that vow has already begun to break. He thinks she's lovely. And like most men, he wants her. After asking the Princess some questions, all of which she answers with an abrupt yes or no, he has a sudden desire to uncover all of her secrets.
"Christina Bennett has taken London society by storm", as so it says in the book description. She's beautiful, mysterious. But how would the people of London feel once the find out Christina was raised by the people of the Dakota tribe in The Black Hills of America, whom they call "savages"? Christina is not revealing anything about her past. She doesn't want anyone to know, and neither does her evil Aunt Patricia, who's she staying with. Christina just wants to marry someone, so her evil father who tried to kill her mother cannot get the money her grandfather left for her. Then she wants to go back to the Dakotas, and resume the life she loves.
All of that is getting ruined. When Lyon and her share a passionate kiss, Christina is starting to feel for him. He looks like a warrior, like the kind of person she always imagines herself ending up with.
Christina is unlike any woman Lyon has ever met. She's bold, stubborn, and she's just the right person for him.
Soon, it's obvious that the two are falling in love. They get married, but that doesn't stop all the troubles coming their way.
Christina's aunt Patricia is threatening to expose Christina's past, and Lyon's too. And what exactly will happen once Christina's father comes to England to find his daughter, and to finish something he set out to do years ago?
This is a wonderful book. A total keeper. It's funny how Lyon gets frustrated so easily, and how Christina thinks she's got everything under control when she really doesn't. And the love between the two just makes my heart grieve to experiance the same thing.
This books deserves to be read more than once, twice. I just finished it for the fifth time. And it never gets old.

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Summary: My favorite Garwood
Review: "Lion's Lady" is my favorite Julie Garwood novel, and I have read them all. The love story is great, the sensuality is charmingly warm, and the various characters just seem to come alive on the page. The humor which constantly arises due the the contrasting cultures made me laugh all through the book. Christina and Lyon are both intelligent, likeable and strong. The lurking sense of danger which threads through the book makes the plot satisfying, and Christina's mother's journal entries (which start each chapter) are very poignant. I just love this book and would encourage anyone who loves the Regency genre to read it.

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Summary: Great Book
Review: A wonderful book.Ilove all of the books by this author. Please read this book and her many others thank you

Rating:
Summary: Good but not the best
Review: After reading a few other novels by Garwood, I decided to continue reading her stuff, it's very good, and a little bit more saucy than Judith McKnaught, who is my favorite romance author. However, Lion's Lady doesn't really seem as good as The Prize or Honours Splender, it's just a bit too fast. The romance is nice, but not as believable as the ohter relationships she has created. I especially liked the the relationship between Lyon and Rhone, that was great because it was very brotherly and I could see Lyon protecting him with more intensity than I felt he protected Cristina with. I have to say, as for romance and love, Honours Splender was much more believeable and much more in depth.

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Summary: Entertaining and very exciting!
Review: Another one of Ms. Garwood's book that I enjoyed. I have read most of her books and found that although her heros all seemed to be the same large, impressive type, I still enjoy the fast pace reading. I Particularly enjoyed some of the scenes related to Christine's childhood. They were funny and loving. Her ability with a dagger and horses are also refreshing. Some of her phrases were very funny. Although the story has little surprises, it was still a great read.

Rating:
Summary: Great Characters and Funny
Review: Christina and Lyon are two amazing characters that are really well developed in this book. Romantically they fit each other to a T. The [loveliness] of their courtship kept me enthralled when the story did not.

Julie Garwood has an amazing talent of creating likeable characters who do not necessarily stay their roles. It is hard to imagine that Lyon would behave so angrily with Christina. And vice versa. However, the entire suspense throughout the story that comes with Christina's journal is good. It keeps the reader on track. I liked the beginning part with the indians. I found it unique and hilarious. It sets the stage for all the misunderstanding Christina and Lyon have together when talking. And it makes it all the more hilarious when Lyon doesn't get it but the reader does.

Overall, it's not my favorite Garwood book... I believe her best ones are the Scottish series she writes. But this book is full of humor, likeable characters and overall sensual. In fact, its hard for me to not like a Garwood romance!

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Summary: The Rake - The Lying Princess - Best Garwood Romance Yet
Review: Christina Bennett has come to London to avenge her mother's death. She uses her European title of Princess Christina when she is presented to London society. Christina hides many secrets - particularly that she was raised by American Native Indians. At times, her presentation to and acceptance by London society seems a little stretched but it is such a great story that you overlook those little bits of non-reality.

Lyon, The Marquis of Lyonwood, is a cynical and hard man. He has the usually rakish views of English historical romance in that he does not believe in love or even expect to meet a woman that could mean more to him than the physical side of a relationship.

Christina and Lyon meet at a party and from the first glimpse, they know their attraction to each other is certainly unique. Although Lyon doesn't want a relationship with a woman beyond a mistress, he finds himself seeking out Christina again and again. Christina is unlike any woman he has ever met, she is rather blunt and does not fear or hide her fierce attraction to Lyon. Since Lyon has a lot of experience solving mysteries, through his secretive work for the English government, he senses when something is not truthful. And he senses Christina is not being entirely truthful when answering questions about her past. Lyon becomes almost obsessed with finding out about Christina's past and finds himself wildly attracted to her. Christina, in turn, is very attracted to Lyon but will not tell him her secrets because she must maintain her Princess front and knows she will return to America eventually.

This is my third Garwood book. I would have rated them all 5 stars but this is the best one yet. The humor is subtle but at times makes you laugh out loud. The story lines were interesting - even the secondary characters and the mysteries! I usually get easily bored with the mystery portion of a romance novel. More times than not, the mystery is poorly written and is an obvious ploy to extend the novel. But the two mysteries written in The Lion's Lady are just right. They take a page or two here and there but aren't boring when they appear.

The hero, Lyon, as usual, was a hero to dream about. There are never men like this. If there were, their wives would leave them. Dominance in personality is not a favored trait in a husband today. But this image that Lyon exudes is handsome, dominant, protective, yet very caring as a husband AND it is one of fairy tales. Romance writing certainly contains some aspects of a fairy tale and I think that is one reason I love reading well-written romance novels. I can enjoy Lyon just as he is written! He is a well-rounded romance hero with an appreciation for humor and a definite flair for being in charge.

Christina is a very likable heroine. She is a little too sweet at times but I have found that this is typical for Garwood's heroines. But Christina was so ornery and stubborn to boot! She lied - constantly - to Lyon. Fortunately, he considered it endearing because he understood her reason for it. She is only attempting to cover up her background and I think she is mostly truthful at other times.

It is so humorous how Lyon handles Christina's lies and her attempts to hide the truth by giving him vague answers to his specific questions. I love that Christina thinks of Lyon as a warrior. The relationship is certainly unusual for romance writing. There is none of the misunderstandings and bitter words so common in this type of book. We get to see their relationship from the beginning with an unusual twist. From the first moment, they both realize that their attraction to each other is strong and shared. They both attempt to avoid this mutual attraction in their own ways.

As Christina and Lyon's relationship develops, we get to experience many wonderful scenes in which they live out, day to day, their love for each other. It is refreshing to not have fighting and disturbances between the romance leads up until the end of the book. We are given time to relish their relationship.

The sensual scenes are a solid four out of five (see More About Me for rating guidelines) both in occurrence and specifics. These scenes are very well written and just fall in as one of the lovely aspects of the story. They help give the story substance and spice. But this is not a novel that depends on sensual scenes. However, we are happy that they are included.

This book is a keeper. When I pick this one up again for a second read - I will remember that not only is this book well--written, it is also spicy and very humorous.

Rating:
Summary: To many loose ends did not make Lion's Lady roar!!
Review: Christina Bennett was raised by Native Americans in the Blackhills of the Dakotas. She was considered the White Lion that would save her people. (We never find out why she is considered the White Lion (well, except for her blond hair) and why she is considered the savior of her people). She is trained as much as a woman was allowed to be trained to defend herself. Christina later ends up in Massachusetts with an overbearing bitter aunt whom takes Christina back to England to claim an inheritance that the aunt believes should belong to her. Christina has all the grace of a lady but but she is as swift and alert as any warrior. She is immediately attracted to Lyon, the Marquis of Lockwood and realizes upon hearing his name that destiny has brought the two together.

Christina has a father of questionable character, a manipulating aunt, and scoundrels trying to force her into marriage. That is when she decides to propose to Lyon, for the sake of her inheritance and for destiny. (Ho hum).

Lyon, a former goverment spy, is every woman's dream. Except I found Lyon to have a flaw as a former spy. His anger and temper were uncontrollable and he yelled. Garwood should realize that a covert spy should be controlled and lack a show of emotions. Although, for the most part, Lyon is what kept me reading the book.

Another loose end was Christina's statement that she had to return to her people. We never find out why Christina was to return to her people and what her destiny with her people truly was.

I found the loose ends nerve wracking and wish that the book could be rewritten and republished.

However, comedy comes with Christina's way of looking at the world, in particular, her desire to divorce her husband. Lyon is patient with his wife whom must learn the ways of the English as he learns of the ways of the Native American.

I rate this book 3 to 3 1/2 stars. Happy reading!!

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Summary: It's Alright
Review: Christina was raised by Indians but had to come back to England because Merry, her Indian mother, had made a promise to Jessica, her birth mother. So she goes England and is known as Princess Christina but no one really knows her past at all. Well Lyon, Marquis of Lyonwood detests not knowing things about people so he decides to speak with her at a ball and try to get information from her. He doesn't get any but he is attracted to her. Christina is known as the Lioness in her tribe and when she meets Lyon she is shocked and knows he is her soul mate but she is scared to tell him the truth about her past because she doesn't want to get hurt plus she is planning on going back home.

Ok this story was kinda weird to me. Lyon fell in love quickly but then it was like a few chapters later he was like, wow I love her and then again a few chapters later, very strange. It was still a cute story though. Christina kicked [...] and was very strong. Lyon was not used to being screamed back at if he was yelling at someone but he admires that about her. Really this story was not a good romance in my opinion. Too much went on and they fell in love too quickly, now I understand it was their destiny to be together and maybe that is why Julie wrote it that way, but it bothered me, really the whole book kinda bothered me. It was not her best writing but it was alright because it was different kind of story line. I mean you can not really go wrong with a Julie Garwood book but this was not one of her best.



Rating:
Summary: Lyon's Lady
Review: Great Book! I love it I've read it probably 30 times. Never gets old.