The book is a historical romance set in the medieval period. The characters are well-drawn and act in fairly realistic ways. I liked how the two characters helped heal each other. The pacing is good, and every scene serves a purpose. There are no explicit sex scenes, but the main characters do have sex after they're married. I'd rate this as "good, clean fun" for those who like a little heat in their clean romances.

Genre Review
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This was a touching romance that did get a little sappy at times but that could be overlooked. I loved the character development and detail. My favorite thing about this book--and the author--is the lack of graphic sex. Ms Kurland is very good at telling a romantic tale without confusing lust and love.

Gillian is not a strong heroine... She's been brutalized by her father and is a total innocent... ignorant of how others live or about the world in general. She thinks everyone is beaten and believes the gossip of servants. So when her father is about to marry her off to the Devil of Blackmour, she's certain her prospective groom has horns and practices black magic and will treat her worse than her father.

This does not not bode well for a romance. Fortunately, Gillian is innocent, but not a bad person or stupid. Her instincts are good, even if she rightly doesn't easily trust in herself or anything. Her desire to run away without knowing anything about the world can be annoying... As can her gullibility. But thankfully she eventually senses that Blackmour is not the Devil and that she may find herself in a much better place with him.

Blackmour's reputation is dark for a reason. He is hiding a secret--a debilitating injury-- that can spell the end for him as a powerful lord. And he is also hiding a heart trammeled by his dead first wife...

Blackmour's situation is fascinating... and there is no easy out for him. But love does conquer all, and that makes for a satisfying romance.

A friend of mine lent me this book and I have to say I did not want to put it down. This book had me laughing and crying at the same time. It was wonderfully written to the point where you are there with the characters of the book.

I can't believe how great the reviews are on this book. I checked it out & read it & found it to be really stupid. The girl is a freaking idiot--she should be in a nunnery (where she might fit in way better than with her lusty & sexy husband). The father of the girl is such an extreme caricature that he's pretty much unbelievable. The hero is pretty good--overcoming his blindness as much as he can (sometimes to the extent that it's completely unbelievable), but his interest in Gemma seems quite forced. I've read much better.