Reviewer: Rowena Honor's Splendour by Julie Garwood
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books
Publication Date: April 30, 1991
Pages: 374
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This classic medieval romance from New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood is a fan favorite—a beautiful lady needs rescue from a knight in shining armor, and gets an alpha warrior instead.
In the feuding English court, gentle Lady Madelyne suffered the cruel whims of her ruthless brother, Baron Louddon. Then, in vengeance for a bitter crime, Baron Duncan of Wexton—the Wolf—unleashed his warriors against Louddon. Exquisite Madelyne was the prize he catured...but when he gazed upon the proud beauty, he pledged to protect her with his life. In his rough-hewn castle, Duncan proved true to his honor. But when at last their noble passion conquered them both, she surrendered with all her soul. Now, for love, Madelyne would stand fast...as bravely as her Lord, the powerful Wolf who fought for...Honor’s Splendour.
A goal of mine is to eventually write a review for all the books I’ve ever read and so each week I plan on doing a Weekly Reread post so that I can revisit all the books that I’ve read and loved from way back in the day.
This weekend’s reread was Honor’s Splendour by Julie Garwood. Holy hell it was just as great this time around as it was the first time I read it.
Duncan of Weston is one sexy beast.
So the story is about Duncan and Madelyne. Duncan wants to get under Madelyne’s evil brother Louddon’s skin, so him and his men breach Louddon’s castle and they burn it down and kill his men and steal his sister. The same sister that saves Duncan’s life by cutting him down from the post and warming his feet in the nearby Church. Duncan is amazed that she would dare save him from her evil brother and when she turns out to be totally different and unlike anything he ever imagined to find in Louddon’s sister, he can’t help but be taken by her beauty, her honesty and just everything about her.
Then he takes her home.
And things just heat the hell up from there. There’s the immediate reaction of Duncan’s family to Madelyne, the crush that Duncan’s brother Gilard has on Madelyne, the intense dislike that Edmond has toward her and then the whole ordeal with Duncan’s sister.
All that drama makes for one frickin’ heart warming and funny as all get out story.
Some of my favorite scenes are the scene with Duncan’s beard? sigh When she asks him if he’s gonna shave and he tells her, “After, love” Ooh, I get goose bumps everytime I read that scene and then the scene where Madelyne warms Duncan’s feet at the beginning, it was so unexpected and she was so scared of getting caught and getting in trouble but she did it anyway and it made me like her all the more because it was such a great way to begin the story.
I loved watching Madelyne’s interaction with Duncan’s family. When she got really sick and took to calling Duncan Odysseus and when she punched Edmond in the eye? Yeah, I was rollin’. I loved how Duncan wouldn’t leave Madelyn alone with anyone but him while she was sick, he didn’t want anyone but him offering her comfort or being the recipient of her passionate nature….HA! I loved how her relationship with Duncan’s sister, Adela blossomed. When Madelyne tells Adela about herself and then makes her wake up and face life again, I just absolutely loved it. It was great how as soon as the fight ran out of Adela, she was able to get herself together and marry Gerald.
I loved how throughout all of the crap that Madelyne went through, she leaned on Duncan throughout it all and Duncan shouldered her burdens for her and took such good care of her. I loved seeing the both of them falling in love with each other and I loved how Madelyne was such a paradox to Duncan. She was a fantastic heroine and she made the story a great reading experience for me.
This book totally rocks my socks, for real!
Grade: 5 out of 5
This book is available from Pocket Books. You can purchase it here.
This is one of my favorite books. When I imagine the perfect start to a boom, I think of Duncan out there in the cold.
I. Love. Garwood. Historicals.
When she warms his feet – sigh. Serious sigh.
I remember all Garwood books by their characters and covers, most of them the “jeweled” covers. My cover for this was a light blue.
And I LOVED that Adela got a happy ending too. Sigh.
Thanks for the memory. I might just have to re-read this again tonight. 🙂
Soooo don’t hate me, but I thought this was ok. lol. It’s good but not one of my favs.Ok, I’m running and hiding from you all now.
Rene,
You’re right, this book has the perfect beginning, I totally fell in love with this book all over again this past weekend, reading about Duncan and his sexy beard and just everything Madelyne did and went through…funny, charming and sexy, the perfect mixture for a great book!
Hi Kate,
Welcome to our blog! I really enjoyed this book and was glad that Adela got her happy ending with Gerald…I really liked Gerald that he was still wanting Adela after everything and Gilard’s crush on Madelyn was cute but Duncan’s beard? Yeah for me it was all about THAT scene….I LOVE DUNCAN!
YOU DIDN’T LIKE THIS? Are you on crack? I knew you were hittin’ the needle crack Izzy…I KNEW IT!
LOL, just kidding. More Duncan for me and Holly….haha.
I know it’s a crime but I can’t clearly recall this book…prolly ’cause the last time I read it was more than five years ago.
But I do know that I did like it. Much. So I will be looking for a copy of this book for my own and will have to do a reread. :o)
Okay, I read Garwood years and years ago, and I totally remember the feet-warming scene, and I remember loving Garwood’s books, but I am terrible at remembering plots. Before you summarized it, I couldn’t tell what what Honor’s Splendor was about.
But like I said, I remembered loving this book, and how Madelyne rescued Duncan. That’s for the trip down memory lane 🙂
Kookie,
That’s what rereads are for, make sure you make time to reread this one becuase it’s the bomb! I promise, don’t listen to Izzy! haha, just kidding Iz! =)
No problem, I’m really loving my trips down memory lanes…great great rereads in my future! =)
I followed the link from a comment from my BTT entry, and viola! I dropped into a great blog!
I’ve had this book for a while but never got started on it since I got distracted by other books.
I’m definitely gonna read read it now for sure!
Hey Den! Welcome.
This book really is fabulous. There are so many things about it to love! 😉