Five Star ISBN: 1-59414-302-1 March 2005

Historical Romance England, Ireland, and The Caribbean - 1597

Ardys Trevallon has spent most of her young life at the dazzling court of Elizabeth Tudor where her father is the queen's fencing master. Ardys's own superb skills with the foil are second only to her sire's. But the day the realm is the mighty victory over the Spanish Armada, Ardys's father is stricken by illness and never recovers. Ardys sends his body home to Cornwall by land and boards a ship to arrive first and prepare her mother and sisters. When pirates attack the ship, Ardys is taken prisoner by the pirate captain, who sets sail for Ireland.

Surprised by the beautiful young woman who was the only person on the English ship trying to defend it, pirate and rogue Desmond Kirkconnell is also well aware of the skill the woman showed with the rapier. He convinces her to help him hone his proficiency during the voyage to Ireland, and as they train, Desmond soon loses his heart to her. They arrive at his homeland and travel to the court of Hugh O'Neill, the Earl of Tyrone, where Desmond and Ardys become lovers.

Torn apart by lies and ill fortune, Ardys and Desmond must overcome seemingly insurmountable ordeals to find each other. Kidnapped by a French pirate, Ardys is taken far from home, unsure of how she will survive from one day to the next. Meanwhile Desmond struggles with family obligations and haunting thoughts of the woman he loves.

The Queen's Fencer is an exciting, well-written account of a dynamic period when pirates roved the seas. Depiction of court life is extremely realistic, especially with historical figures such as Queen Elizabeth, Lord Essex, and Sir Walter Ralegh playing important roles in the story. Intricate details of fencing and the author's obvious knowledge of sailing put the reader into each scene. The love between Ardys and Desmond is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming as they fight to be together. Swashbuckling pirates, court intrigue, and a powerful love story make The Queen's Fencer impossible to put down. Don't miss this terrific book.

Jani Brooks

Romance Reviews Today

Website owner/webmistress: Terrie Figueroa

America Online's Romance Fiction Forum

Wednesday, April 13th 2005

When Ardys Trevallon, the strong, independent daughter of the Queen's Fencing Master, first encounters the Irish pirate Desmond Kirkconnell, she holds her rapier securely in her hand. As Desmond will learn, her fierce determination and her pride in her skill as a master fencer are intrinsic facets of Ardys's character. Fortunately for the pirate, who admires her beauty and poise from the first, she has a softer side as well.

Desmond meets Ardys at a turning point in her life. She has lost her beloved father, the only member of her family to whom she was close, and she has left the familiar comforts of Elizabeth's court. She is journeying to Cornwall to stay with her mother, with whom she is barely acquainted. Desmond's startling capture of the merchant ship on which she travels not only changes her course, it changes her life.

Meeting Ardys, pratically at rapier point, changes Desmond's life as well. Orphaned by the actions of British soldiers during his childhood, Desmond has no love for the English Queen or those who dance attendance upon her, but Ardys is something unexpected. As a matter of fact, from the moment they meet, the unexpected is all that Ardys and Desmond may expect.

The Elizabethan age is the perfect setting for Caitlin Scott-Turner's debut novel. She has woven a tapestry of romance and adventure, telling a story that begins in Queen Elizabeth's courts and takes to the seas more than once to move the narrative to yet another fascinating locale. In a stately home secreted away in the wilds of Ireland, Desmond's villainous rival, French pirate Francois de la Roche, vies for Ardys's attentions. Then, as the passionate tale of conflicting loyalties continues, he sweeps Ardys away over the stormy seas to a tropical island.

This novel is rich with historical detail, from the intricacies of court dress in an age of farthingales and high ruffed collars, to the furnishings of various abodes. Historical context is provided as characters interact with real figures from history, such as Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh. The refinements of the age present a stark contrast to the brutalities of warfare and personal vendettas, also vividly depicted in this swashbuckling adventure.

For a nonstop tale of passion and adventure on land and sea, dive into The Queen's Fencer. Though the love story occasionally takes a back seat to the adventure, this fast-paced debut novel will make readers eager to see what author Caitlin Scott-Turner comes up with next!

LDRS RL Dazzle

Romance Fiction

Booklist

Ardys Trevallon is passionate about fencing and learning. Fortunately, living at Queen Elizabeth I's court allows her to enjoy both. The queen sees to it that Ardys is given a suitable education, and her father's position as fencing master allows her to unofficially test her sword skills against any man at court. When her father dies, Ardys reluctantly decides it is time to return home to Cornwall, but the ship is captured by Captain Desmond Kirkconnell. The roguish Irish pirate quickly discovers that Ardys is more than his match with a sword, and they become lovers. Ardys is then taken hostage by the elegantly wicked Francois de la Roche, and Desmond must set sail to reclaim the woman he loves. Scott-Turner takes readers on a fascinating, if occasionally bumpy, journey from the glittering court of Elizabeth I to the sun-drenched Caribbean as two star-crossed lovers battle fate to find happiness in a story that should please readers who relish romances filled with swashbuckling adventure.

Five Stars!

Charming Elizabethan Romance

In 1597, Will Trevallon is the Queen's fencing master; his twenty-one years old daughter Ardys is perhaps is best rival. They are happy until Will while in a tournament collapses and dies. Ardys grieves more than just the loss of her father and teacher; she has lost her best friend.

As Ardys tries to move on in her life, Queen Elizabeth sympathizes with her loss, but though the young woman is capable of being The Queen's Fencer, a female in what the nobles recognize as a male position would cause too much trouble. However, Desmond Kirkconnell has his own plans for the lass; he abducts her taking her to Ireland. As she falls in love with her rogue pirate, a rival Francois de la Roche abducts Ardys to use as a pawn to trap and destroy Desmond, who risks death to rescue his beloved.

Elizabethan romance readers will want to take the plunge into this intriguing tale. The lead couple is a wonderful intrepid pairing though it seems the competent Ardys is too easy a victim. The story line is fast-paced whether the action occurs in England, Ireland or the High Seas. Elizabeth's court and other secondary protagonists provide a late sixteenth century feel to the fable, but it is Ardys the fencing master who makes the tale hum.

Harriet Klausner (harstan@ix.netcom.com), March 14, 2005