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Honor's Splendour

by Julie Garwood

4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 · rating details · 10,770 ratings · 262 reviews

Paperback, 384 pages

Published April 30th 1991 by Pocket Books (first published 1985)

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Nov 16, 2011 Dina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Dina by: Melissab

Shelves: historical-romance

Yay, another great book by Julie Garwood! :)

The story opens with Baron Duncan of Wexton stripped of his clothing, tied to a post, and left to freeze to death by Baron Louddon's men. But as soon as he's alone, Louddon's sister, Lady Madelyne, comes to his rescue and frees him. Ducan can't believe his luck - not that he's in any real danger and in need of her help because his "capture" was all part of a bigger plan -, but fate is just giving him what he came for. Duncan's sister, Adela, was raped...more Yay, another great book by Julie Garwood! :)

The story opens with Baron Duncan of Wexton stripped of his clothing, tied to a post, and left to freeze to death by Baron Louddon's men. But as soon as he's alone, Louddon's sister, Lady Madelyne, comes to his rescue and frees him. Ducan can't believe his luck - not that he's in any real danger and in need of her help because his "capture" was all part of a bigger plan -, but fate is just giving him what he came for. Duncan's sister, Adela, was raped by Louddon about a month ago, so he decided to kidnap Madelyn and force a confrontation with her brother, seeking revenge for what he's done. Having Madelyne unselfishly help him is beyond anything Duncan expected, and he falls hard and fast for her. Obviously, it takes some time until he realizes that.

As soon as Duncan is freed, he and his men attack Louddon's men and destroy his fortress. When the battle is over, Duncan is disappointed to find that Louddon is absent, since the coward Baron escaped to London soon after Duncan was "captured", thinking of establishing an alibi for Duncan's death. Knowing that Louddon will go after them, Duncan takes Madelyne as his "captive" to his home. And so it begins a most romantic story...

This book hooked me from the start, with one of the most beautiful opening scenes I've ever read. Oh, I've heard about the whole "feet warming" and such beforehand, as it's often mentioned as a memorable scene by many readers, but it didn't lessen the impact of it. It was exciting to actually read the whole scene and not only a snippet of it, and I was smiling and sighing like a ninny the whole time. Like Duncan, I fell in love with Madelyn there and then.

As I'm beginning to expect from Garwood's heroines, Madelyne was a bit ditzy and clumsy, but her kindness and courage won me over. Her inability to tell a lie was charming, sometimes funny and, in the end, saved the day. See, it pays to always tell the truth, especially if you tell it in a way that gets people a little confused. :)

Duncan was also what I've come to expect from a Garwood's hero: an arrogant but honorable warrior, protective, patient and completely devoted to Madelyne. He did force her to marry him, but it was for her protection - among other reasons, like his yet-unprofessed love for her and his desire do bed her ;) - and he never meant to hurt or harm her in any way.

Honor's Splendour was all about Duncan and Madelyne realizing they were made for each other and, as a bonus, making Louddon pay for his sins. I loved the way Ducan explained to himself why he felt compelled to sneak into Madelyne's bedroom to sleep with her when she was still his "captive", I smiled with his listing the reasons for marrying her, I sighed every time he sighed - just for show, of course - with one of her antics, I laughed with her attempts at learning self-defense... To sum things up, I adored Duncan and Madelyne.

The only thing that bothered me a bit in this book was, I felt it dragged a little after Duncan and Madelyne said ILY to each other. Things got too calm and quiet after that, and I couldn't wait to see how Duncan was going to "finish" Louddon for good. I trusted Duncan but I didn't trust King William, and his "special friendship" with Louddon could be a problem. In the end, everything worked out, and Duncan and Madelyne got their true HEA - after all, this is Romancelandia. :)

This was only my fourth book by Garwood and, based on what I've read so far, I can't wait to read more of her. Working my way through her backlist will keep me entertained for a long time, and I couldn't be happier.
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May 15, 2010 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who loves historical romance.

Shelves: reviewed-by-me, must-reread, historical, author-julie-garwood, 5-stars, captive-kidnapped

I have to say, I have yet to read a Julie Garwood novel that I don't love, but there was something special about Honor's Splendour that makes it stand out in my mind and has made it one of my favorite reads.

Garwood's books feature women who, though they might not know it at the time, are strong, honorable, compassionate and very wise. Watching them come into their own is such an enjoyable experience.

The same can be said for the men of her novels. They are usually gruff, arrogant and very set in...more

I have to say, I have yet to read a Julie Garwood novel that I don't love, but there was something special about Honor's Splendour that makes it stand out in my mind and has made it one of my favorite reads.

Garwood's books feature women who, though they might not know it at the time, are strong, honorable, compassionate and very wise. Watching them come into their own is such an enjoyable experience.

The same can be said for the men of her novels. They are usually gruff, arrogant and very set in their ways, but at all times honorable.

Now to Honor's Splendour.

Seeking revenge, Baron Duncan of Wexton sets out to kidnap Madelyne, the sister of Baron Louddon, the man responsible for the brutal attack on Duncan's sister, Adela. What happens though, he could never have anticipated. Madelyne became the captor, holding Duncan's heart as no other woman ever has.

Madelyne spent years being abused by her brother,Baron Louddon, and has finally had enough. Packing her few belongings, she waits for the right moment to leave her brother's fortress, hoping to find safety in Scotland at the home of her cousin. As she awaits the moment she can escape, she spots Baron Duncan, stripped of clothing and tied to a post in the courtyard, left to die in the freezing night. Unaware of Duncan's purpose for being there--to kidnap her, she risks all to set him free, to protect him from her brother. What she didn't realize was that Duncan didn't need rescuing. Allowing himself to be captured was part of the plan for he and his men to gain access to the fortress, and Madelyne, herself.

Freeing Duncan from his bindings and gathering his clothes, Madelyne takes him into the visting priests quarters behind the chapel where one simple act of compassion will change her life--and his, forever.

Which leads me to my favorite quote from the book, found on page 28 and gave me one of those *sigh* moments that I love so much: "Lady Madelyne had sealed her own fate. She'd warmed his feet."

Julie Garwood has become one of my favorite authors and Honor's Splendour one of my favorite books.(less)

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Apr 20, 2009 Julie (Mom2lnb) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Historical Romance or Julie Garwood

Shelves: historical-romance, read-2009

Reviewed for THC Reviews
I've been a long-time fan of Julie Garwood, but have been so distracted lately by exciting new books and authors that I have not picked up one of her books in nearly two years. Thanks to a new reading challenge in which I am participating, I was finally spurred to re-read Honor's Splendour, and was immediately reminded of all the things that made me start glomming Ms. Garwood's backlist in the first place. She has a talent for combining a good romance with a strong plot,...more Reviewed for THC Reviews
I've been a long-time fan of Julie Garwood, but have been so distracted lately by exciting new books and authors that I have not picked up one of her books in nearly two years. Thanks to a new reading challenge in which I am participating, I was finally spurred to re-read Honor's Splendour, and was immediately reminded of all the things that made me start glomming Ms. Garwood's backlist in the first place. She has a talent for combining a good romance with a strong plot, action, humor and characters that I can truly care about, to create a really good story. The composition, to some degree, is done in the typical style of 1980's romance writing, which isn't too surprising since it was first published in 1987. Still, it is a romantic classic that consistently makes many reader's favorite lists over twenty years later. While I can't say that Honor's Splendour is my personal favorite Garwood book, it is a good read that I would certainly recommend. For me, Julie Garwood is just one of those comfort authors whose good (or even just OK) work still surpasses that of some other authors even on their best days.

There are several things that kept Honor's Splendour from the very top of my favorites list. It is one of Ms. Garwood's earliest romance novels (her third), and in my opinion, it still shows a bit of the novice that she was at that time. There are some very long passages of prose and, while they do progress both the time-line and the plot without taking up a lot of space, it made me feel like the story was being told to me instead of the characters acting it out. There were also some parts where I was having a difficult time imagining the setting and felt that more environmental descriptions would have been helpful. I thought I had recalled Ms. Garwood's books being on the steamy side, but either my memory has deceived me or this one just wasn't quite as hot as some of her others. I found that the love scenes became progressively more sensuous with each one (I really enjoyed the late night “swim” in the lake), but still by more modern standards, they were fairly short and only moderately descriptive. While I didn't necessarily need more tawdriness, some of the scenes just seemed to lack that extra bit of spice that really shows the reader a deep emotional connection. In a couple of instances, I think this could have been rectified with a little more “whispered sweet nothings” dialog, and more sexual tension leading up to their initial consummation would have been nice too. Additionally, I am not a huge fan of the love/hate relationship. Thankfully there was enough tenderness to keep it from being overdone in this book, but Duncan and Madelyn still emotionally held back from each other a little too long for my taste, and their confusion over their feelings for one another seemed a bit forced to me. Finally, although Madelyne's fevered hallucinations and loss of inhibitions in that state made for some exceptionally funny and amusing moments, I would have preferred for her to relate the traumatic events of her past to Duncan when she was in a more coherent state. I think it would have packed a greater emotional punch and built even more trust in their relationship, which to me, is extremely romantic.

Duncan and Madelyne are a classic Garwood hero and heroine. Duncan is what I like to refer to as the “tender alpha” or the “alpha with a heart.” He definitely has some dominating tendencies early in the story, but he is always patient and has a tender spot in his heart for Madelyne. Duncan's sweet side was solidified for me when he watched over Madelyne while she was ravaged with fever, and I loved how he snuck into bed with her every night without her knowing. He is also very much a man of few words and has very little dialog in the beginning of the story. In fact, Duncan often seemed to be overshadowed in this regard by his two brothers which is never a good thing. As the plot moves along though, he learns to lighten up a bit, talks more readily, and really comes into the fullness of his character. Madelyne is gentle, klutzy, and has just enough sass to stand up to her arrogant husband. I really liked her journey from the shy virgin to embracing her passionate nature, and found it to be very believable and well-crafted. There are so many romance novel heroines who make the unrealistic jump from timid virgin to instant sex-kitten, so this element of the story was greatly appreciated. I also thought it was sweet that Madelyne was able to charm everyone in Duncan's castle, man, woman, child and beast. The only problem I had with Madelyne is that for about the first 2/3 of the story, everything about her is just too extreme. She is extremely clumsy, extremely talkative, extremely bossy, extremely stubborn, extremely self-conscious, and extremely insecure. I'm used to a heroine embodying one or two of these characteristics, but having Madelyne imbued with all of them at once and in such an extravagant way, made her seem more like a caricature to me. At least she exhibited enough humor and sweetness to prevent her from becoming completely annoying, and for the final third of the book, she is much more even-tempered and finally comes into her own as well, finding her confidence. It was at this point that I really warmed up to both characters a lot more and ended up liking them both quite well.

There are other things that I really enjoyed about Honor's Splendour, one of which is it's strong cast of supporting characters. If this book had been written in the current glut of series romances, I'm absolutely certain that Duncan's two very eligible and honorable brothers, Edmond and Gilard, as well as his loyal vassal, Anthony, all would have made great heroes for future books, but it was written so long ago, it is incredibly doubtful that would ever happen. I also enjoyed Duncan's sister, Adela, and her beau, Gerald. Because of what Adela had been through, I found both characters to be very sympathetic, and the humor of their relationship mirrored that of Duncan and Madelyn. Madelyne's uncle, Father Berton, though heard about a lot, doesn't actually appear until near the end of the book, but I liked him a lot too, and Madelyne's evil brother, Baron Louddon, makes a great villain. Julie Garwood has a great sense of humor, and I often found myself smiling or chuckling during my reading of this book. I especially got a kick out of the parts where Duncan teases Madelyne by purposely pushing her buttons. I also loved the creative sweetness of their first meeting and how Madelyne captured Duncan's heart through the simple but unselfish act of warming his feet. As I mentioned earlier though, the last third of the story was my favorite part. I felt that the romance built gradually and became even stronger the further it progressed. I also liked the bit of royal intrigue which lent a mild air of suspense to the ending. The denouement itself was perhaps a tad bit rushed as the comeuppance of the main villain doesn't occur until the final pages, but overall it was pretty good. All in all, Honor's Splendour was a good read which turned out to be a nice way to reintroduce myself to a favorite author.(less)

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Mar 24, 2009 Eastofoz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Eastofoz by: Stamatia Chatzigrigoriou

Shelves: medieval

3.5 stars and somewhat disappointed with this book. It’s a fan favourite but for me it didn’t come anywhere near the level of The Secret or Ransom. I missed Garwood’s hilarious word play and the book just never wanted to end. It was as if she kept wanting to end it, didn’t know how, so added another caper. It could have been nearly a hundred pages shorter and I don’t think it would have lessened the story.

Weaving the story of Homer’s "Odyssey" throughout the novel was an interesting touch (espec...more 3.5 stars and somewhat disappointed with this book. It’s a fan favourite but for me it didn’t come anywhere near the level of The Secret or Ransom. I missed Garwood’s hilarious word play and the book just never wanted to end. It was as if she kept wanting to end it, didn’t know how, so added another caper. It could have been nearly a hundred pages shorter and I don’t think it would have lessened the story.

Weaving the story of Homer’s "Odyssey" throughout the novel was an interesting touch (especially when it came to comparing Odysseus to Duncan) but the Biblical quotes at the start of each chapter didn’t really add to the novel. Seemed like she was copying someone else’s idea that just didn’t work with her book.

The steam was pretty good –typical Garwood, could use a smidge more but she leaves you to imagine the rest.

There’s nothing really wrong with the story it’s just that I felt it really lagged a few times and you didn't get lost in it. Having read some of her other books I was surprised to get that feeling. The hero is well-draw. He’s strong and very alpha and tries to pretend that the heroine doesn’t control his every move when she does which is too cute to see. I didn’t really like the overly selfless heroine who was a bit dim on occasion –not TSTL but slow to catch on sometimes. I guess you could argue that given her life history it was understandable but she’s not the kind of heroine I like to see.

The print size is horribly small and there isn’t enough white space on the page so add that to a so/so story just doesn’t make for the most enjoyable read. There is also an excessive amount of narration instead of interspersing it with dialog and I sometimes got the impression that the author wrote sentences on strips of paper and then joined them together to make a paragraph but didn’t reread. There were so many sentences one right after the other where she just repeats the character’s name instead of using he/she which became very annoying. It was almost like she was writing to someone who at times may have had difficulty following along.

Basically, it’s ok, with some problematic areas and it’s too long. Thankfully she’s written better ones.
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Oct 19, 2008 AzuresHeart rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Mediaeval (1099) Age

Just reread this one... I just love how the relationship between the h/h develops... her clutziness and his warming and sensitivity make for a great story. I must find this at a UBS... I just used the library this time so I could get the quick fix!

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Jun 15, 2011 Kathie (katmom) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-books-ever

Lady Madelyne is such a sweet, naive woman. She really does want to save the world. She keeps telling everyone that she is a quiet woman, but she is usually doing it at the top of her lungs. She made me want to hug her and I was so proud of her for standing up for what she thought was right.

Like saving the man her brother wanted dead. She knew what would happen to her if she saved him, but she did it anyway.

When she realized that his feet were frozen, she thawed them the best way she knew how, w...more

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Mar 19, 2010 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: medieval, romance-historical, read-own, read-in-2010, ebooks

Another great book by Garwood! Duncan's plan was to capture his enemies sister as payback for the cruelty he caused his sister. Instead he is captured and Madelyne saves him. It was a love match from the moment Madelyne warmed his feet. This was another good book by Garwood. I just loved how Duncan saved Madelyne from living a unhappy life with her cruel brother. Excellent!

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Feb 07, 2008 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dreamy-heroes, hr-medieval-dark-ages, favorites, desert-island-keepers, kidnapped-captured-stolen, vengeance-revenge, dangerous-or-bad-boy, own, pet-or-animal-in-story, redhead-heroine, virgin-heroine, my-5-star-romances

Lady Madelyne had sealed her own fate.
She’d warmed his feet.

One of the most romantic and enchanting stories I've ever read. Duncan is a mighty and legendary warrior who "takes" Lady Madelyne in an attempt for revenge against her step-brother, Louddon. Lady Madelyne goes on to enchant and tame him, his family and his entire army.

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Jan 08, 2013 Vishous * 4ever Racht's Minion * marked it as need-to-start-reading-asap

Recommended to Vishous * 4ever Racht's Minion * by: Blacky *YA/NA addict*

blacky said i must....

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Aug 22, 2012 Giulia~Bubbles rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

All right, this was an easy, light read full of everything a romance could offer- a sexy hero, a spirited heroine, intrigue (albeit of a rather simple kind) great supporting characters and enough scenes of action and steam for everyone. It was also rather funny. Everyone is always shouting at one another in absolute exasperation and the arguments between Duncan and Madelyne are both endearing and amusing. Definitely and enjoyable entertaining read, and you become invested enough in these charact...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Blacky *YA/NA addict* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, favorite-historical, read-historical, best-of-the-best, mine, of-course, bestest-of-the-best, 5-stars-for-quality, 5-stars-for-enjoyment

What will you get if you decide to read this book?

1. Wonderful writing
2. A beautiful story
3. A fierce warrior for a hero
4. A herione that has great character
5. Total and utter enjoyment

For me, this was a pure 5 star book <3

1. Wonderful writing - Julie Garwood has an amazing style. I just love reading her books, and this one wasn't dissapointing. How ever good the stroy was, how great the characters were, the best thing in this whole book was the writing. I don't remember the last time I jus...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Michelle Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read, historical, favorites

Baron Duncan of Wexton & Madelyne's book.

Officially I shall state that I love with Julie Garwood's writing. I will now go and read everything she has written. Her formula works, I connect with the characters and I totally get lost back in time while reading her stories.

Honor's Splendour is the third book I have read by Julie Garwood and I was just as memorized as I was when I picked up the first one.

The way Honor's Splendour started with Duncan's capture and then Madelyne's rescue hooked...more

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Feb 09, 2009 Avax rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely love this book. Julie Garwood is my favorite romance author and I was just browsing the romance section in B&N when I came across this book (one of her's that I hadn't read yet). I immediately decided to buy the book and could hardly put it down until I finished it. It's one of her longer books but a terrific read. It won't take long at all to fall in love with Duncan and his Madelyne as he shows her her true worth.

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Apr 07, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another Julie Garwood medieval with endearing and slightly ditzy heroine who meets alpha hero, Baron Wexton, who takes her captive to his castle in England. The two have an instant attraction while dealing with the treachery of her sadistic brother who wants both of them dead. Not as good as Garwood's "The Bride" but it had it's moments, though a bit dull in some parts. If you like strong alpha heroes who are putty in the hands of their winsome, ingenuous brides, you'll like this. 3.5/5

http://kt ...more

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Jul 22, 2012 kagit kiz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, romance, historical-romance, medieval, regency, favorite-author

Julie Garwood gerçekten özlemişim, onun o saf sakar kızlarını höt höt erkeklerini..

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Jan 12, 2013 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

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's main. Exquisite Madelyne was the prize he captured...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...more 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's main. Exquisite Madelyne was the prize he captured...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.

Late one night, Madelyne risks her own safety to rescue from a cruel trap the man bent on having his revenge against her brother. Except the tables quickly turn and Madelyne finds herself held captive instead. She knows where she comes from isn't a home to embrace, but this new world of brothers loving sisters and true devotion startles her in more ways than she would imagine. Soon she finds her tables have turned and that she is falling hard for the wolf of a man who defied the king and world around them to claim her a wife.

I listened to this story on audio-book during my drive to Texas for Easter. It was an exciting historical tale that sadly was pretty predictable and overall didn't have as much drama as I would have preferred. Madelyne was too easy going/stubborn and I prefer my female leads to be a little bit more saucy (and not s0 clumsy!), while Duncan was stuck in his way but much more enjoyable as a character compared to Madelyne. There affection for each other was easy to believe and the side-characters added much needed entertainment.

The story flowed somewhat nicely with a few dull dragging parts here or there. The ending was spread out a little too thinly and should have finished much more quicker that it did. All in all, the plot was lacking something that would have added some spark to the tale while the characters (excluding Madelyne who came off to me a flat within certain chapters) salvaged much of Honor's Spendour. I had higher hopes for this story and was sadly let down.

Likes: It was nice to see Madelyne blend in with Duncan's family/home quite easily.

Dislikes: I adore historical reads that focus solely on the main characters, but this book was majorly missing something ( ie. much needed finesse ) to finish of the tale.(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Jami rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is the fourth Julie Garwood book I've read and they're really just all over the place. Some are good, some are just okay, and some are truly, truly awful. This one falls into the category of Just Okay.
The characters themselves are strange to me and because of that it's hard to like the book. Duncan's sister was raped in London by Madelyn's brother's friend, Madelyn's brother Louddon arranged the rape himself to dishonor the sister, Adela, and taunt Duncan. When Duncan learns of it, he organ...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Johanna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Honor's Splendour
by Julie Garwood

Genre : Historical Romance

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's main. Exquisite Madelyne was the prize he captured...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 th...more Honor's Splendour
by Julie Garwood

Genre : Historical Romance

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's main. Exquisite Madelyne was the prize he captured...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.

Late one night, Madelyne risks her own safety to rescue from a cruel trap the man bent on having his revenge against her brother. Except the tables quickly turn and Madelyne finds herself held captive instead. She knows where she comes from isn't a home to embrace, but this new world of brothers loving sisters and true devotion startles her in more ways than she would imagine. Soon she finds her tables have turned and that she is falling hard for the wolf of a man who defied the king and world around them to claim her a wife.

I listened to this story on audio-book during my drive to Texas for Easter. It was an exciting historical tale that sadly was pretty predictable and overall didn't have as much drama as I would have preferred. Madelyne was too easy going/stubborn and I prefer my female leads to be a little bit more saucy (and not s0 clumsy!), while Duncan was stuck in his way but much more enjoyable as a character compared to Madelyne. There affection for each other was easy to believe and the side-characters added much needed entertainment.

The story flowed somewhat nicely with a few dull dragging parts here or there. The ending was spread out a little too thinly and should have finished much more quicker that it did. All in all, the plot was lacking something that would have added some spark to the tale while the characters (excluding Madelyne who came off to me a flat within certain chapters) salvaged much of Honor's Spendour. I had higher hopes for this story and was sadly let down.

Likes: It was nice to see Madelyne blend in with Duncan's family/home quite easily.

Dislikes: I adore historical reads that focus solely on the main characters, but this book was majorly missing something ( ie. much needed finesse ) to finish of the tale.(less)

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Jun 19, 2011 Rose May rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: d

Note: This review, and all my reviews, comes from my blog - Romantic Rose's Bookshelf (http://romantic-rosesblog.blogspot.com)

Chest-beating primates, mysterious wolves, and swooning, bi-polar, PMSing tiger/kitten mixes, oh my!

(I should warn you the following is a REALLY long rant review with only one positive paragraph at the end. Feel free at any time to skip to the 'bottom line' portion of the review, to get the gist of it)

This book was my first Julie Garwood ever, and I am happy to say it wil...more

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Apr 04, 2011 Elise Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book a lot, so much so that I'm doing a second reading on some major parts that really grabbed me. Aside from being well-written (great prose, detailed, descriptive, creative), both the hero, Duncan and heroine, Madelyn are likable characters. And their relationship was so well-developed that you get to know them, in order to like them. The book is also filled with history, romance, humor and a bit of mystery. The secondary characters, in particular Duncan's brothers, enhanced the s...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, historical-romance

Another great HR book from Garwood! How does she do it? I went in not knowing if I would like this one because it didn't involved the Scottish Lairds, and it was in a different time period involving English Baron's. But I ended up really enjoying it. Duncan was a great character and it was really fun to watch his whole demeanor change as the book progressed. The same for Lady Madelyne. She was unsure of herself at the beginning and doubted her true worth as a person. It was nice to see her attit...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Iliada rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star, historical-romance, julie-garwood, medieval-romance

Honor's Splendour is my first book by Julie Garwood and it won't be the last!! I haven't read many medievals. My favorite historicals are regency but I will try to read as many of Mrs. Garwood's books I can.

The hero, Duncan, had a truce with the heroine's brother, Louddon, which Louddon violated. He attacked his fortresses, killing innocent people and he abused his sister, Adela. So the hero has formed a plan to capture Louddon's sister, Madelyne, to retaliate. The book starts with the hero at t...more Honor's Splendour is my first book by Julie Garwood and it won't be the last!! I haven't read many medievals. My favorite historicals are regency but I will try to read as many of Mrs. Garwood's books I can.

The hero, Duncan, had a truce with the heroine's brother, Louddon, which Louddon violated. He attacked his fortresses, killing innocent people and he abused his sister, Adela. So the hero has formed a plan to capture Louddon's sister, Madelyne, to retaliate. The book starts with the hero at the courtyard of Louddon's fortress, tied in a post. Madelyne has decided to run away because she's had enough of her brother's abusive treatment of her. When she sees Duncan tied, she decides to save him and then run away. She didn't know, however, that Duncan's "captivity" was deliberate and all part of a plan to get to her. After she unties him, she warms his feet which leads to:

“Lady Madelyne had sealed her own fate. She'd warmed his feet.”

So the two of them gradually fall in love as the story progresses. I won't say anything more because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. At the beginning, I had some issues with the hero, as he was annoyingly arrogant and a little overbearing. He had good qualities, though, and was honorable, so as the story goes on I liked him more and more.

The best part of this book was the heroine. Clumsiness is Madelyne's middle name. She would hit the hero all the time, or fall down without even realising what happened. She was incapable of lying which leads to some pretty funny situations, when she will just say what she thinks because she just can't lie. At times, she was also so naive that she made me laugh. For example, when she kisses the hero for the first time, she asked him to forgive her because she took advantage of him!! I liked Madelyne's personality a lot. She was always trying to help others, even if it means she would have to risk her own life or put herself to the side. She was constantly trying to control her feelings, but she had a fiery temper, while all the time declaring what a gentle woman she was!! Madelyne was a real fun to watch!

The hero liked discipline and order and tried to live his life according to those principles. Madelyne was like a hurricane and really made a mess out of his life, but in the end, Duncan found out that he liked this mess just the same. He was always trying not to laugh with the heroine, but failing most times. Truth is, you can't help but fall in love with Madelyne.

There were also good secondary characters in this book. I really liked Duncan's friend, Gerald. All in all, I can say I'm impressed with Julie Garwood and I can't wait to read more of her novels.(less)

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Aug 03, 2010 Slavena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I like Ms Garwood style of writing a lot and some of her books are my favorite. I wasn’t so impressed by this one. There wasn’t as much humor as in her other works and the heroine didn’t feel special to me. She is too ordinary for my taste, actually the 2 women portrayed in this book were, tough the second one was horrible. Duncan’s sister needed someone to whack her now and again; the woman was weeping and wining the entire time, not sure how Gerald kept wanting to marry her.

I began to read th...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, historical

At First Sight: Lady Madelyne was already planning to escape the home of her stepbrother Baron Louddon when Baron Duncan of Wexton happened to be taken prisoner. Madelyne has always felt like it was her duty to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, so she decides to release the prisoner before setting on her way. What she doesn't know is that Duncan already has a plan in place, even as Madelyne is helping him, his men are gaining access to the fortress and Madelyne is their true target....more At First Sight: Lady Madelyne was already planning to escape the home of her stepbrother Baron Louddon when Baron Duncan of Wexton happened to be taken prisoner. Madelyne has always felt like it was her duty to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, so she decides to release the prisoner before setting on her way. What she doesn't know is that Duncan already has a plan in place, even as Madelyne is helping him, his men are gaining access to the fortress and Madelyne is their true target.

Some weeks prior, Louddon raped and nearly killed Duncan's sister Adela, and to he seeks retribution by stealing Louddon's sister. Only that Madelyne is nothing like her brother and, even though she's captive, she starts to steal the hearts of Duncan and his brothers.

Once in his fortress, and unwilling to give her up - particularly after she proves to be a positive influence on his sister - Duncan decided to marry her and keep her forever. Madelyne wasn't entirely happy with the arrangement at first, but she does come to love the Wextons -whom are honorable and care for each other - so she sets about making a home with them.

But her brother will stop at nothing to destroy Duncan, which puts everyone in jeopardy.

Second Glance: I've meant to read Honor's Splendour for the longest time, a lot of friends told me it was something of a classic. So I was very excited to read it, but it didn't quite measure up to my expectations.

Julie Garwood certainly knows how to create engaging characters, her stories are usually both funny and touching, and Honor's Splendour is all that.. but it also reminded me a lot of my favorite Garwood novel - one of my over all favorites - Saving Grace. Now, I know Honor's Splendour was written first, but I read it second and for me it could never quite live up to Saving Grace, particularly because I found the beginning a little slow.

I did love the characters and it was a fun read, it just wasn't all that great for me.

Bottom Line: Though it didn't live up to my expectations, it is an very funny, engaging read, perfect for an afternoon lazing about and reading. (less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Alexandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished this remarkable novel by Julie Garwood. I've read a couple of her other books as well, but I admit this one was my favorite. Everything about this book was amazing. It wasn't long winded or full of filler. It constantly kept my attention and as soon as I felt I reached a place where I could put it down, I kept on reading because it was that good. The leading heroine, Madelyne, was charming and very likable. The leading male, Duncan, was drool worthy and had all the characteristic...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, read-in-2011

Honor's Splendour is classic Garwood. *sigh* My favorite is still Ransom, but this one was really good, too. If you're a fan of her medieval romances, then this one won't disappoint.

Unfortunately, I did happen to notice something while reading this that kept me from giving it five stars. I love you Ms. Garwood, so please don't hate me for saying this... Has anyone else noticed that all of these books have basically the same plot? Spunky (yet kind) heroine get kidnapped or otherwise forced into m...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: re-read

I love, love, loved this book. It's now one of my top ten favourite romance books ever and as soon as I’d finished it, I wanted to re-read it!

The story is interesting and keeps you want to know what's going to happen next, but what made this book stand out to me were the hero and heroine.

Ms Garwood has, IMO, managed to create the perfect balance and characters in both Duncan and Madelyne. Duncan is the hard, cold, alpha warrior who only got one weakness... Lady Madelyne.
He's still bossy, but...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Abigail Yow rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels, books-from-my-personal-library

My first book by Julia Garwood and I must say I wasn't too impressed. The author's writing was fluid and not in the least choppy. That I can say for sure but the characters, well, I wasn't too taken by them. There were a lot of inconsistencies with our main heroine. For instance, at the beginning of the story, Madelyne is portrayed as meek and gentle, only to be transformed into this fiery and annoying redhead who keeps trying to find fault with everything. We see her planning her escape route l...more

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Jul 11, 2011 ErinReadsTooMuch rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun one. The Hero (Duncan), and the Heroine (Madelyne) are both very likable. Madelyne "saves" Duncan at the beginning, or thinks she is saving him, anyhow, and he repays her by kidnapping her. You love Madelyne for her honesty, her sweet nature (which is contradicted by her boiling temper), and her habit of always speaking her mind. She orders everyone about (including Duncan), but in such a way they don't realize they're being given orders. She is smart and strong, though very insec...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Marina rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't make reviews because I'm too lazy but I have something to say about this book...

This is my 4th book by Garwood, and since the other three I've read (The Bride, The Secret and Ransom) I loved and gave them 5 stars, I was expecting to give 5 stars to Honor's Splendour as well. Why? Because I was seeing a pattern here and because I was expecting to see some hate between Madelyne and Duncan since he had taken her captive (what can I say, I love romances that start with HATE). I should have k...more

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About Julie Garwood

Julie Murphy was born in 1946 in Kansas City, Missouri to a large Irish family. At the age of six, Julie had her tonsils removed and complications from the surgery resulted in a long period of recuperation. She fell hopelessly behind in school and never caught up. "I was a slow, slow reader," Julie says. "I hated it." At the age of 11, her mother discovered her daughter's secret and promptly enrol...more

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“Lady Madelyne had sealed her own fate. She'd warmed his feet.” — 56 people liked it

“I am ever a gentle maiden," she shouted. "Damn if I'm not.” — 52 people liked it

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