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Once He Loves
Sara Bennett Book Review

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Plot Summary of Once He Loves
"

Avon, Apr 2003, 5.99, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0060519703

In 1072 at a Yorke party, singer Briar Kenton feels this night she will have the opportunity to destroy Lord Radulf, whom she has hated for two years. She believes Radulf murdered her stepmother leading to her father, considered a traitor by the king, committing suicide. Briar plans to use her body to seduce her enemy, make him hers, and destroy his happiness with his wife.

Briar flirts with the man she believes is Radulf, but is actually the disgraced former knight Ivo de Vessey. Ivo and Briar make love and his tenderness and how much she feels for him shocks her. When she learns that Radulf did not come to the party because he misses his wife Lily, she angrily tells her bed partner to leave. To her shame she knows she cannot go after Radulf after meeting the kind Ivo, who feels a strong need to protect Briar. They begin to fall in love, but a defrocked knight and a daughter of a traitor have no prospects together especially when she loathes his employer.

Though Briar's behavior can become irritating to the reader and her plan on how to gain revenge seems weak, ONCE HE LOVES is an exciting conclusion to a marvelous medieval trilogy. The tree tales interconnects through the cast, but each novel can stand-alone. The story line, like its predecessors (see THE LILY AND THE SWORD and THE ROSE AND THE SHIELD) is action-packed and colorful so that the era comes to full bloom. Sara Bennett finishes her miniseries with a wonderful conclusion that readers will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Once He Loves
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - Distant past/middle ages
Hidden Identity/Secret Motive Yes
Is really... - out for emotional revenge

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - warrior/knight
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - very romantic
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Female Character
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
What % of story is romance related? - 70%
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Once He Loves
Shadows and Lace by Teresa Medeiros
Fairest of Them All by Teresa Medeiros
The Maiden Bride by Rexanne Becnel
In the King's Service by Margaret Moore
An Earthly Knight by Janet McNaughton


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