Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780843951110
ISBN number: 0843951117
Label: Leisure Books
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 384
Printing Date: 2002-10
Publishing house: Leisure Books
Sale Popularity Level: 1157447
Studio: Leisure Books
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Rated by buyers 
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The Willing Wife, is the darkest and most complex of the installments.
It is difficult to find much to criticize about this book. The characters are smartly written, engaging, and learn from their experiences, evolving in different ways. Good twists and turns.
Rated by buyers 
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The Willing Wife is a medieval romance with very interesting hero/heroine. Nicolaa is a woman 4 times married, and each time, her husbands leave her for a wealthier wife. So she has grown accustomed to men and their ways. And knows that all men will eventually leave. So, her home has become something of a refuge, a convent, for young women. Unlike her, though, these women are not so eager to avoid being shackled to a man.
In comes Rowland d'Albret, a romantic man from Aquitaine who has also been married but his wife was killed. So now, he has been sequestered by th king to marry this young woman who has now had four husbands. He is qccepting of her situation and sees himself as more or less her savior.
As far as hero's go, Rowland is one of the best. He is honest and sweet, and goodness, he knows just what to say.
However, he is just a man (fictional though he is). And like a man, he is far from perfect. He wants Nicolaa to give him her love, her trust, and her body, perhaps even her soul, and in exchange, he will give her his name and his protection. (Fair exchange?) You see, he is still mourning his one true love, and feels that the whole marriage with Nicolaa is a betrayal of his love for Lubias.
The Willing Wife, is anything but. Nicolaa sees Rowland as weak in the way that men are weak, that honor is ranked above love, above women, above most things that a woman needs. She could not trust Rowland considering the four men that had come before him. And he did not want simply part of her, he wanted all.
The author touched on the psychology of the matter, for both Rowland and Nicholaa, and one could easily understand both their reactions considering what they had gone through in the past. However, the protagonists were not completely resolved to this reader's mind. Rowland is very romantic, but Nicolaa is not really in the mood for romance. They were at odds. Constantly.
This book is not heavy on physical intimacy, if that is what you prefer, but it was certainly a good story.
Rated by buyers -
This is a book for those of us who have been down the path of love before. Called to once again dance the dance, having already given up, we simply go through the motions....The absolute strength of the lead female character was intriguing; how many times have each of us simply survived through perseverance? Evolution and growth of the characters, the warrior's absolute support of his love-the realization that life AND love is still worth something, makes this one of those unique books, which the reader will remember for a long time. Never give up; never close your heart, and have faith that there always is a true love in our future.
Rated by buyers -
Set in England, the year of 1155. King Henry II was on the throne. Lady Nicolaa of Cheneteberie had already been given four husbands from the king. All four had asked Henry to set the marriage aside and had gotten new brides. Word had it that Nicolaa could not produce children. After being harshly handled by four husbands, she never wanted a fifth. The king sent her one anyhow. Nicolaa did her duty. She married him, Rowland the Dark. She knew he would leave quickly too. The fact did not displease her. Her heart had become well armored. Besides, Rowland's heart would forever belong to his deceased love, Lubias.
Sir Rowland d'Albret of Aquitaine knew she could not give him an heir. He did not want one. Nicolaa was worthy and would make a fine wife. He vowed to protect her and be gentle, unlike her previous husbands. Yet even though he would not ever give Nicolaa his heart, he believed she should, and would, give him hers!
**** Be warned, though a willing wife, the consummation of the marriage is harsh ... almost to be called rape, in my opinion. The entire book focuses on the two main characters. The secondary characters, in no way, detract from their tale. Rowland and Nicolaa seem to be very strong willed people. This makes for many battles between them and great reading for the readers. My only real complaint is that the villain seldom made an appearance. Great love story! ****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
Rated by buyers 
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Wow - I have read lots of bad romances, but this really was bad. Right on to the reviewer to pointed out that Nic's incredible coldness was too played up. There was no logical reason for Rowland to fall in love. Her fall in love with him, yes, possible, but not he with her. She was too emotionally and physically unavailable for any man to find attractive. Also, it is impossible to imagine, in that time, that Rowland would actually not have slept with Nic in the marriage bed. So as far as the law was concerned, they were not legally married and if he had died in the battle when he very first left, where would that have left everything? He was ordered to marry and in a way, he disobeyed the King. There was no love, no tenderness in this story. Nic inspires no real sympathy in this reader.
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