By Arrangement

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful read, can't wait for more from this author
Review: The tricky thing about historical fiction, whether romance or otherwise, is trying to find the proper balance between the story and the history. BY ARRANGEMENT finds that balance, including the history necessary to make the story work, making the history part of the story, but never losing sight of the story.

And what a story it is.

Merchant David de Abyndon is not what Lady Christiana Fitzwaryn expects to find when she goes to meet the man she is to marry. She has risked her life traveling through London's dangerous streets to try to persuade him to back out of their betrothal, and is none too happy when he refuses. Despite her best efforts--and her brutally honest confession--she marries him...and learns he is not even what he seems.

Set against the opening volleys of the Hundred Years' War and using the rising tensions betweeen the English and French as part of the plotline, BY ARRANGEMENT is a compelling, believable and moving historical romance. One of the things I liked best about the story is how Christiana grew into a woman who could be David's partner in every sense of the word--she is truly his match. And he will give her the room to become her best self.

I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A Magical book
Review: There's something magical in a good historical. As you start reading, you feel drawn to another time and place, and you're surrounded in knights and nobles doing all kind of heroics that leave you breathless (or so you should be). You also learn History in such a wonderful way. Since other readers have already discribed the plot and heroes so well, I would like to concentrate on the history thing and say that one of the great things about this book for me was the different way it showed the nobility vs. commonery; Historical romances usually choose noblemen as heroes. My most hateful are those placing the man as noble and the woman as one of common birth, who rises to a higher status by her marriage. Ms. Robinson gave the subject a refreshing shake: The hero is not a nobleman (most of the book) and he likes it that way! He explains the hard and violent life behind the glamour of nobility and shows his good sense and right thinking about the uselessness of fighting all your life.

Not only I liked David, I admired him.
God, if you please send us some 100,000 more davids. Earth (especially women) needs them quite urgently. Thank you!

Rating:
Summary: a must read/ by arrangement
Review: This book is fantastic I totally enjoyed this book from begining to end. The scene is set in medievil times. Lady Christian is a daughter of a dead nobleman. She and her brother are taken in by King Edward when their parents were killed in a battle. King Edward has made arrangements for Lady Christina is to marry David a local merchant (for the kings own reasons). Lady Christina doesn't want to marry the merchant, for she thinks she is in love with an other nobleman and tries to get out of the arrangement by all means, to no avail the wedding takes place and Lady Christina learns a great deal about her merchant. The romance is intensive and the passion is there from the start. Pay attention to David and his character.David does not lie to Lady Christina but wants to see if she loves him for who she thinks he is,a merchant. You will cheer for the couple to over come any obsticles in their way.I could not put this book down, This is the first book I have read by Madeline Hunter and I will read many others. I hated to see this book end. This book is well written by a wonderful author who knows a womens desire. I would recommend this book to any one who loves to read a good romance novel. Excellent!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful historical novel!
Review: This is a wonderful historical romance novel! The plot was excellent and the author is wonderful! I am a big Katherine Kurland fan. It is really hard trying to find authors that I like, and Madeline Hunter is now my second favorite. The only thing that I don't like in romance novels is the description of sex sceens that some authors, like Madeline, go into detail with.

Rating:
Summary: well worth hunting down
Review: This is Madeline Hunter's debut novel and what a wonderful start. She gives us a complex, intriguing hero in David de Abyndon and a glimpse of commerical London that we don't often see - because David is not the stuff of songs, he is not a knight in shining armour - rather he is a realistic merchant, who finds himself betrothed to the highborn Christianna at King Edward's behest.

Christianna is a fairly traditional heroine - young, 18, almost virginal, but she has some depth and common sense and while I feel that this is definitely David's book, she never jars.

The book feels like a fresh approach - a real achievment in the crowded medieval romance scene! - and I am looking forward to reading more of Hunter's works. It still lingers in my mind and it was a difficult world to leave - a definite keeper.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This is my favorite book I read in 2000! Read this book you will not be disappointed. It is hot!

Rating:
Summary: A True Love Story
Review: This is one of the best romances I've read in a long time. The characters have conflict, but are able to resolve them in a mature and loving manner, with each side making concessions. This is a breath of fresh air after reading so many romance novels that contain endless, brainless, "misunderstandings" that never seem to be resolved until the last page.

I've ordered Madeline Hunter's next book, "By Possession" and will be looking for her in the future. Very promising.

Rating:
Summary: Absorbing and engrossing!
Review: This is one of the most engrossing books I have read in a long time. The plot has many turns and twists. Lady Christiana Fitzwaryn is 'given' in marriage to David de Abyndon by King Edward. Lady Christiana is disraught about this as she believes herself to be in love with another noble (as she is) and cannot understand why King Edward would have her marry a commoner - a merchant. David's reasons and eager acceptance of this marriage are many. He is a merchant at heart and even when enjoying himself at a gathering, he cannot help but calculate the worth of things and try to figure out how he could import them. Marriage to Lady Christiana fits into his future plans to expand his business. When he sees her, he realizes that even though she is over the usual age for marriage - she is 18 - she is quite comely and innocent. He feels he got a good bargain with one small hitch - the man Lady Christiana thinks she is in love with. Their marriage goes ahead and Christiana learns there are many facets to David. He doesn't lie to her, but he carefully fails to reveal all that he should. The sexual tension is high between them throughout the book. This is not a book to be picked up with the expectation to read a 'fluffy' story about revenge, etc. Read it carefully. The many things that David has not revealed to Lady Christiana and which make him a driven man come to light only in the last few pages of the book. The reason he was so very agreeable to the marriage (before he knew Lady Christiana) is one that I have not seen in any book before. I recommend this book highly. Can't wait until her next book comes out!

Rating:
Summary: Awesome Hero....
Review: This is one of those rare romances wherein the reader must pay attention to understand what's going on. How refreshing! David is the most unusual of heros; fascinating, mysterious, handsome as all get out, and of course, wealthy. However, I had read Lord of A Thousand Nights first, and that was where I became intrigued with David (and his brother-in-law, Morvan). But for the life of me, I couldn't equate that David with the David in this book. I don't know, he just seemed like a different man. I didn't see it as a detraction, he was just different. The same was true with the lovely Christiana. While reading this book, I had to keep reminding myself that she was the same young woman who befriended Reyna in Lord of A Thousand Nights. No matter, though, this book was absolutely fantastic.

Rating:
Summary: This book dragged me right back...
Review: to reading romances, after I had sworn in a fit of New Year resolutions to stop reading them. I would recommend reading the book to find out why. The other reviewers have said it all, but this is what *I* felt was different about this book (which got a rare five-stars from picky old me):

1) wonderfully detailed historical research, which is yet not overwhelming. That is, Hunter does not use details to impress us, but to add color, and all the rest of the sensations to her story. For example, the details about the room where David and Christiana first meet, with the fact that Christiana notices only certain things about the room at first, and rather more in her second visit (because it is a different time of day, she is less frightened, and so on). There are small, telling historical facts added to enable us to place the book exactly in time and place. There are general details about the social and economic structure of society, which are sometimes overlooked by other writers of medieval romances. In short, if you like to see your facts right, you will be very happy in this book. [Mind you, you either have to like a very intriguing story, or to love medievals].

2) the unconventional love story, with the hero being a merchant. Although his birth father is a nobleman (as it turns out), his mother was the daughter of a merchant, and he was raised by another merchant. Throughout the story, we see David battling with the values of his upbringing and the great love and loyalty he has for his city (the City of London), which runs counter to possibilities that arise for his advancement by the standards of the time. The heroine is a noblewoman, but a rather strong-willed and intelligent, even perceptive, heroine. Not a woman who willfully throws herself into danger, nor a woman who depends on her beauty to get her out of trouble.

3) The motives for the marriage itself. No spoilers here, but let us just say that David's attraction to Christiana (although very real) is not his primary or even secondary motive for marrying her. Even at the end, if you are like me, you will wonder whether the motive stated at the end of the book was his real reason for marrying her. I could think of two other possibilities, both mentioned in the book.

4) The hero. Ahh! I don't usually sigh over fictional heroes (even Mr Darcy), but this hero is really unusual. Some people will be put off by the dark streak in his character, his ruthlessness, his ability to compartmentalize and calculate even in times of crisis. Others will find him fascinating and all the more complete for his double-edged motivations and actions. Let me just say that if you like a tortured hero, you will probably like David - but if you want your hero to be totally redeemed by the end of the love story, you might be put off. David's transformation (if it happened) is an ongoing process, incomplete in this book, and perhaps more visible in the forthcoming sequel THE PROTECTOR.

5) The love scenes, which are very detailed. Again, I normally don't discuss love scenes, but some people might be put off by the intense passion generated by this couple (as well as some of the unusual techniques). For the record, there is every possibility that medieval men would have been familiar with such techniques, given the very recent history of the Crusades which brought a lot of Middle Eastern and thus other ideas and innovations to the medieval West. If you don't believe me, I recommend Runciman and others.

Now, go and read this book! I promise you that you won't be disappointed. Frustrated perhaps, but not disappointed. As for myself, I read this book several months ago, started a fan club online for Hunter, and chewed over my thoughts (over some partial re-reads) for months before writing this review.