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Brigitte de Louroux is the daughter of the house, but is crudely being treated as the lowliest of servants. She has no family left, as her dear brother has been killed, and a wicked woman, her half-brother's aunt Druoda, has taken over the running of the house, making Brigette a virtual prisoner.
Rowland of Montville is a noble and a skilled warrior. Yet he lacks polish, and suffers humiliation for it. Banished by his father, Luthor, six years ago, he is suddenly summoned by Luthor. It seems that Luthor is being harangued(?) by his two sons-in-law, and needs Rowland's assistance to save his keep.
As a bastard, and raised by his own father, he grew up hated and abused by his stepmother and half sisters, leaving him with a hardened heart, but he won’t leave his father in the lurch. On his way back home, he gets into a skirmish and the man saves his life. The man is too sick to travel, but asks Rowland to let his sister know he is alive, and will return when able. This man is Quintin, the brother Brigitte thought dead. However, when Rowland arrives at Brigitte’s home, Druoda fills him with lies, and ends up forcing him to take Brigitte with him as his serf.
Brigitte is no serf, but Rowland will not hear it. Attracted to her beyond belief, and with long days of travel ahead of them, the both act on the passion they find impossible to deny. Though there are some obstacles, it seems that Rowland and Brigitte might find joy together. In the meantime, Rowland promises to alert Brigitte’s true guardian.
However, an interesting and surprising twist occurs, and this changes everything. Roland has been having nightmares since he was a small child, and now the nightmares have an explanation. This doesn’t mean, however, that he and Brigitte have worked out all of their difficulties, as she doesn’t yet fully trust him.
SO SPEAKS THE HEART is a warm love story, with intriguing characters. It is very interesting to see Rowland evolve from a gruff to a loving man, especially when a part of his past is revealed. Also, his treatment of Brigitte is none other than tender, to the point where perhaps Brigitte wonders is she really has to worry about making the real truth of her existence clear to Rowland, as Druoda did a good job misleading Rowland. These factors, along with excellent pacing, and Ms. Lindsey gifts her readers with a wonderfully warm conclusion.
Reviewer's note: Mass Market Paperback release, January 2004, Original release date, 1983.
Reviewed by Robin Taylor
for The Road to Romance
October 11, 2004
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