Katherine of Montclair and Alex de Beaumont marry, but almost immediately after exchanging their vows, he insists he must leave. Alex is sworn to support King Edward I, who is leading a Crusade to take back the Holy Land from the Infidels so on his wedding night he joins his monarch.

Almost a decade has passed since Alex left and never came home. Kat and others assume he died. Instead he lingered in a Saracen prison where he had plenty of time to think about his beloved Kit-Kat, whom he hurt with his departure and his inability to tell her he loved her. Alex vows if he ever returns he will earn her love by showering her with his.

In 1276 Alex comes home to find his Kat about to marry Sir Luc de Joinveille. She rejects Alex's plea saying she despises him and he is not welcome. Alex swears he changed and will prove to her that he has. However, someone wants them kept apart trying to kill either or both of them while Alex also seeks the traitor who left him dead back in the Holy Land.

This is a fabulous medieval romance starring two likable lead characters with well drawn flaws as each fear love for different reasons. He fled from love as he never felt like that before and she believes those she loves leave like him and her late parents. Although the plotters seem like half of England and this over the top of Big Ben (at least the original clock tower of the thirteenth century that is), fans will enjoy the gender war between the kick butt heroine and her born again wannabe champion.

Harriet Klausner