By Royal Command

Jul 02, 2012 Jo at Jaffareadstoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

This historical romance is set in England during the reign of King Ethelred, and tells the story of a beautiful widow, Katrin of Courtney, who when summoned to the English court to be used as a political pawn in marriage, finds herself falling in lust with Eomond, the man sent to escort her to her uncle, the king. But Eomond is beneath her in rank, and despite their passionate encounter, he is no match for this beautiful young woman. Fulfilling her obligations to her king, Katrin is sent in marr...more

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May 20, 2013 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Title: By Royal Command*
Author: Laura Navarre
Series: N/A
Genre: Historical Fiction / Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Format: E-Book
Date/Year: July 2, 2012
Reviewed by: ElaineReads

*This book was provided to the reviewer by the author in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

Two brothers. One woman. Three hearts at war.

Katrin of Courtenay's husband is dead--and she doesn't mourn him. He was cruel and controlling, and she doesn't need a husband to hold her northern keep. But her ve...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

A really fine novel set in the Medieval period, just prior to the invasion by William the Conqueror and setting a historical context that is fraught with political tension, inner family strife, old hates, the terror under which women must live, especially aristocrat women or athelings (Saxon) or those closely connected to men in power. Katrin is niece to the Saxon king, widow of a cruel man, and now again a political pawn for her uncle--half-brother to her father and a man who took his brother's...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Stephanie Collins rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a hard one for me to read and review. The book is good but a bit cumbersome and the female lead wore a bit on my nerves.

Katrin is the daughter of the bastard brother of the king. She was married off for political gain (also revenge on her mother) by her uncle the king. This marriage was definitely not a love match but one of duty. She has never known passion and when her husband died she thought she had a shot of being left alone by her uncle. Unfortunately he has now decided she could...more This was a hard one for me to read and review. The book is good but a bit cumbersome and the female lead wore a bit on my nerves.

Katrin is the daughter of the bastard brother of the king. She was married off for political gain (also revenge on her mother) by her uncle the king. This marriage was definitely not a love match but one of duty. She has never known passion and when her husband died she thought she had a shot of being left alone by her uncle. Unfortunately he has now decided she could serve him well by another political marriage. He has sent his thayne to bring her back to court to meet her next husband.

Eomond is the thayne sent to bring her back to court. He is of Viking blood but bound to the king in servitude. He and Katrin have a lust/hate pull for one another and act on it once. Katrin however knows that as a high-ranking woman she cannot have the low-born thayne even though she (eye-roll) loves him. I understand that in this time period women were property and were not allowed to make decisions but her "love" of him was a bit overstated. She ends up pregnant as a part of this one indiscretion and the king arranges for her to miscarry. She makes the agreements with the king for her remarriage based on her misconception of Eomond's relationship with another high-born woman and as a part of this agreement with the king Eomond gets a minor title and a measure of freedom as a landowner.

Now on to the hero of this book.... Rafael was an enigma and I can see why Katrin would have fallen in love with him. He was going to be a bishop but instead came home to fulfill family obligations.. now that being said what a loss it would have been to have him bound in the priesthood but what a gain it was for Katrin. I would have liked to see more of just this relationship without all the other mess that came with the rest of the story but oh well...

Again I enjoyed parts of the book but her what do I say .. what do I do... got a little old. I understand the time period and the role it plays in this behavior but it just made the book drag out more in my opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. (less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Among The Muses rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, historical-romance, medieval-historical-romance, review-request, very-well-written, love-triangle, political-maneuvering, medieval-england, kings, viking

With a historical romance voice that oozes 'period' context, author Laura Navarre delivers a solid medieval romance that captivates effortlessly.

By Royal Command is a story with a foundation of political maneuvering set during a period of England's volatile medieval time. The story especially captures the tale of one young woman whose life has essentially been shaped by her uncle, the king of England, Ethelred.

Katrin of Courtney's first marriage was arranged by her uncle to secure an alliance th...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Farrah rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

By Royal Command was a book that I wanted to like, but had so many flaws that I couldn't even manage that. I don't like giving negative reviews, so I'll try keep this short to avoid ranting.

First of all, Katrin, for all her bravado of being strong and independent, was just as meek as any other royal medieval woman. She pretends that she's all tough, but in the end, she submits every time. It wouldn't have bothered me...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

By Royal Command was a book that I wanted to like, but had so many flaws that I couldn't even manage that. I don't like giving negative reviews, so I'll try keep this short to avoid ranting.

First of all, Katrin, for all her bravado of being strong and independent, was just as meek as any other royal medieval woman. She pretends that she's all tough, but in the end, she submits every time. It wouldn't have bothered me that she was weak, that was what a woman was expected to be at that time, but it bothered me that she kept pretending otherwise.

Then, the "romance." Let me explain how the romance goes. She is taken to her uncle's court by the captain of the army and falls in love with the warrior. They have a short, tumultuous love affair. She gets to court, then she's sent off to marry another man. She eventually falls in love with the man,while the man's brother tries to get with her. Sound a little messed up? Yeah, it's actually worse than it sounds.

Eommond (I think that's how it's spelled) is the captain. I have no idea what possessed her to fall in love with him. He was nothing but mean to her. And the first time they hooked up, he just barged into her room and claimed that she shouldn't have tempted him, then falls onto her like an animal in heat. Despite Katrin pleading with him to not take her to court, he takes her anyway. Then, when she gets engaged, he gets all angry. AS IF HE HAD A RIGHT TO BE! He's the one who took her to court! How can he get angry when the exact thing she told him would happen, and what she wanted to avoid when he refused to run away with her, happened? That romance was just utterly unbelievable. Literally, I couldn't believe for a second that Katrin actually liked this asshole. Excuse my language. Once she gets married, Eommond makes a brief cameo appearance, then is promptly forgotten expect for a few mentions of him. So at least I didn't have to put up with that insanity for long.

Then the two brothers. Raphael is the brother she gets married to. He's the only character in this book that I actually liked. He's really the reason I didn't hate this book entirely. He was sweet, and understanding as Katrin got over that other jerk. He's someone that I can actually understand Katrin falling in love with. I adored him, and was so happy that Katrin finally made sense when she fell in love with him. Really, it saved the entire book for me.

But then Raphael's brother. He was a total creep. When he sees Katrin, he decides he wants her, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S HIS BROTHER'S FIANCE. Even after they get married, he still tries to get with her. And when seducing doesn't work, because one of Katrin's few good attributes is that she's faithful, he tries to rape her. He was so nasty. It didn't help that he was married. To a girl so young that he had to wait two years of marriage with her before she got her first period so that they could start working on an heir. I know that was commonplace in that time period, but it still didn't stop me from being grossed out. And it obviously didn't help his case one bit.

The last complaint I have is Katrin's uncle. He was so nasty. He hinted several times that he wanted to get with Katrin. It literally made me nauseous. I was so glad when his appearance in the story was over.

If I can say one thing that I liked besides Raphael, it would be the flawless setting. The details and descriptions were perfect for the time period. It really felt like I was back in Europe's Dark Ages. That plus Raphael are the sole reasons this book wasn't a total train wreck.

I think I ended up ranting a little, didn't I? I don't like to give negative review, but I honestly couldn't like this book. If you feel that you can overlook the things that bothered me, by all means, read By Royal Command. The fact that I didn't like it won't stop me from recommending it to people who think they might feel differently about the book. But otherwise, if you feel like the parts that bothered me will bother you as well, I would stay away from this book. Seriously, it will save you a lot of frustration.

Sadly, 2/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Lea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

By Royal Command is written from the third person point of view and told by the novel’s heroine Lady Katrin of Courtenay. There are two-parts to the story. The first: “The Devil’s Minion”, chronicles Katrin’s meeting and relationship with Eomond, a soldier or sword-theyn in liege to the English King Ethelred. Part Two: “The Would-Be Bishop” takes readers through the next stage in Katrin’s life when she meets her future husband Raphael le Senay, the baron of Belmaine.

The year is 1005 and the Engl...more By Royal Command is written from the third person point of view and told by the novel’s heroine Lady Katrin of Courtenay. There are two-parts to the story. The first: “The Devil’s Minion”, chronicles Katrin’s meeting and relationship with Eomond, a soldier or sword-theyn in liege to the English King Ethelred. Part Two: “The Would-Be Bishop” takes readers through the next stage in Katrin’s life when she meets her future husband Raphael le Senay, the baron of Belmaine.

The year is 1005 and the English king is struggling to keep the Viking threat (who have already pillaged and burned much of the island) at bay. Katrin is the niece of King Ethelred, she is an aetheling or related to nobility and therefore a valuable asset during negotiations for fealty with rich landowners. At 14 years-old Katrin was banished to an unwilling marriage to Mordred, the pious, brutish Lord of Courtenay to seal his fealty to Ethelred. Mordred showed her no kindness or tenderness. Her abusive husband has been dead from plague for 2 years, the castle is destroyed and Katrin has struggled to maintain the lands and feed the few retainers who are left alive. Katrin is determined to remain out of her cruel, conniving uncle’s reach, her husband terrified her and she has no desire to be used as a pawn in another monstrous marriage arranged by Ethelred. However, the English coffers are running dry and Ethelred needs his beautiful niece to use as a bargaining chip to seal an alliance with a powerful, wealthy family.

Ethelred dispatches Eomond, his sword-theyn and captain to Courtenay with specific orders to bring Katrin to court. Eomond is of Viking/English heritage, he is strong and skilled in the art of battle, and completely committed to serving his liege. Eomond is an intimidating sight clothed in battle armor astride his great warhorse and Katrin is frightened of him on first meeting despite the fact he rescues her from certain death from a wolf attack. When she learns who he is and why he has come, her fear turns to horror. Katrin will use whatever means at her disposal to thwart Eomond’s mission including lies and feminine wiles. Eomond will not be deterred and makes it clear if he has to drag her before Ethelred using brute force he will. Katrin is intelligent and cunning but proves no match for the skilled warrior.

It was such a dark time in history and Navarre paints a realistic portrait of what these people face and endure on their long journey including predators, the threat of exposure to pox plaguing the small, sparse towns, outlaws and the elements. In the midst of it all Eomond and Katrin are drawn together in a forbidden tryst both know can go nowhere. They are leagues apart in rank and the king has specific plans for his niece. However, the formidable Viking captures Katrin’s heart by introducing her to passion and tenderness. Eomond, however is devoted to Ethelred for a variety of reasons and determined to fulfill his commitments. He will not forgo his duty to do as Katrin wants and spirit her away.

The perfidy and subterfuge of the brutal, amoral Ethelred’s (the Devil as Katrin calls him) court presents significant challenges for Katrin as she negotiates and tries to avoid his minions and mechanizations. Katrin suffers emotionally and physically at the king’s hands particularly when Eomond goes to battle leaving the stink of betrayal with another woman in his wake. When Katrin discovers she is to be married to Raphael of Argent, a man formally destined for the priesthood she is heartsick but has no choice but to travel to Mercia. This opens Part Two of the story where readers are introduced to the splendor of Caerwyne castle and the next chapter in this fascinating woman’s life.

Silently he placed a cup of wine before her, the silver goblet etched with crossed spears.

Sweet mercy, my uncle was utterly misled—or else he lied to me. This was no bookish monk, to be ruled through a clever wife. How on earth had Ethelred been so wildly inaccurate? For weeks she’d been preparing to marry an unworldly scholar who’d have little appetite for her bed, not this urbane and beautiful young lord with his watchful eyes. Close to panic, she wondered if it was too late to change her mind.

Rafael le Senay folded himself into the opposite chair. Damp ringlets fell around his face; sweet cloves scented the air. As she eyed him cautiously, he lifted his goblet in a wry salute.

“Forgive me for saying so, monseigneur,” she murmured. “But you’re not exactly what I was expecting.”

One brow arched, framing a wary green eye. “What were you expecting?”

By Royal Command © Laura Navarre

Raphael is, as Katrin describes, urbane and beautiful, he has an enticing on page presence. He is extremely intelligent and doesn’t easily give his trust. Raphael struggles with his decision to abandon church for familial commitments but despite his history of education with, and devotion to the Pope he is not pious or unschooled in the art of love. In a word, the guy is hot, for a variety of reasons. In contrast Eomond has a powerful warrior presence, an appealing hero for sure in many respects, but I really liked how the author handled the devolution of his relationship with Katrin, matching her with the enigmatic, sexy Raphael who is an equally adept warrior and leader. Great passion ignites between Raphael and Katrin, the eroticism is light, but the love scenes are intense. Katrin is an intelligent woman and educated, she is well read and has interests in the arts. They bond over hawking (falconry) a lovely and one of the less blood thirsty sports of the period.

Among the novel’s many well-drawn secondary characters is Borovic, Raphael’s brother, a fearsome warrior with no head for the administrative details of the family’s vast concerns. Borovic fancies his brother’s future wife which opens a Pandora’s box of problems for Katrin as she does her best to repel his attentions. One of the many things that impressed about this novel is the juxtaposition established between the two brothers and how the tension escalates between them leading to violence and a riveting climax. Readers can expect plenty of action (including jousting matches), a number of plot twists and tense intrigue.

By Royal Command is a complex historical romance with very dark undertones. There were some scenes, particularly in relation to treatment of animals, that I found deeply disturbing because of who I am but pushed through and was glad I did. The time-line is post Dark Ages and pre Danish Conquest, an extremely turbulent period in Anglo-Saxon history. I think Navarre has done a stellar job of layering sensuality into a story that remains true to the historical facts, particularly underscoring the power of the Church over people’s lives. By Royal Command isn’t a quick, light read, the prose is lush and descriptive giving an excellent visual of Katrin’s story. I hadn’t read a medieval historical in a number of years so it took me a little while to become comfortable with the language and terminology but once I got into the novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is significant depth and many layers to the plot but suffice to say, at its heart, By Royal Command is a moving epic tale of an 11th century woman’s difficult life and discovery of a great love.

Review originally published at my Book Lovers Inc.(less)

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Jun 19, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, romance, historical-fiction

By Royal Command tells the story of Katrin of Courtenay, the fictional niece of the King of England, the infamous Ethelred. Because of her proximity to the king, her care after the death of her first husband is of the utmost importance to the King. Katrin wants her independence and most definitely isn't wild about the King choosing a husband for her as she did not have the best relationship with her first husband.

Katrin is an interesting character. She wants to get her way but seems to employ so...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: net_galley, historical-romance, highland-medieval-tudor-ancient, covers-that-are-gorgeous, hit-my-face-with-a-wet-kipper, warrior

This one, provided by netgalley, has got to be hands-down one of the most infuriating, intriguing and downright frustrating books I've read in a very long time. The first 40% of it is so gothic I felt almost compelled to pull out my grandma's white nightie and run around the house shrieking "Wo, is me!"

I'm going to write this one a bit differently than usual and start with what I didn't like so much:

- I really struggled to get over the writing for the first half-ish. It reads like something from...more This one, provided by netgalley, has got to be hands-down one of the most infuriating, intriguing and downright frustrating books I've read in a very long time. The first 40% of it is so gothic I felt almost compelled to pull out my grandma's white nightie and run around the house shrieking "Wo, is me!"

I'm going to write this one a bit differently than usual and start with what I didn't like so much:

- I really struggled to get over the writing for the first half-ish. It reads like something from the 80s, dreadful purple prose and that dire fake-Medieval speak that really annoys me, and just felt very clumsy, and was really very distracting. Interestingly, the writing REALLY got a whole lot better after the plot started to thicken (exception noted below). Even if I hadn't read the author's bio, I could easily tell the political stuff is what the author really gets her teeth into.

- The writing during the sexy bits was just not my thing at all. Too much use of phrases like "pulsing jewel", "searing blade of arousal" and "sheltered crevasse" were just too, too, well, too much! It felt so forced that I wasn't quite sure if the author was taking the p!$s or not. It spoilt my enjoyment and I personally found it so dire that if I had gotten this book from the library I might have thrown it straight into the DNF pile.

- The heroine is supposed to be (a) astonishingly smart (in a common sense kind of way) and (b) so attractive that all the men drone on about how she must be a "witch". Well, clearly she's smart because after all, if some bloke (built like a brick s$&thouse) forces his way into your bedroom, waving a rather lethal sword around (no, a real sword, not one of those!), and then proceeds to corner you on the bed, of course your first thought would be that he means you no harm. And, well, I got a bit sick and tired of being told she had bewitched all the male characters in the book. It was almost like the author was telling me to pity the heroine because she's so damned beautiful. Ugh.

So, why didn't I give this 1 star then?

- Well, I really liked the basic plot on this one. I loved the politics, the intrigue, the underhanded wheeling-and-dealing, and the way it clearly showed that a medieval king in the British Isles was really only one noble among many rather than the all-mighty ruler, and so had to be cruel and conniving. I have a real weakness for historical romances which manage to use politics and intrigue in a convincing way, and this one did.

- I loved, loved, loved that the heroine loves two men, and we get to see her romances with both of them, who are very different individuals. Now, I know that some readers have a real problem with characters going from one lover to the next, but it actually redeemed the heroine in my eyes. Her attraction and love for both men is credible and I loved it. I also thought both men were really great characters.

So, if you can get past the completely awful writing during the sexy bits, and you can stick with it, this is actually a rather different story, that I will keep and read again.

3 stars. I liked it, and just check out that absolutely gorgeous cover.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

By Royal Command is a wonderful, heart-touching love story. Laura Navarre has written a beautiful Historical romance. She wrote the language in this novel so authentically that I felt like I truly was back in England during the Dark Ages. I fell in love with this story of Katrin trying to gain her freedom and true love. Katrin is a young woman that I enjoyed, she was strong-willed, independent, and definitely no whiney girl. I loved seeing this kind of strength in a character, especially in a yo...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Tash rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley, wasn-t-for-me

Reviewed for Confessions From Romaholics

To see review at Confessions

Told in two parts, By Royal Command tells the story of Kartin of Courtenay, niece of the King of England. Since she was a young girl, Kartin has been a pawn for her uncle, King Ethelred. It has led to an early marriage to a cruel and controlling husband so that her uncle could strengthen his ties at the border of Scotland. Her husband died two years ago and Kartin has been fending for herself and using her skills to keep her nor...more Reviewed for Confessions From Romaholics

To see review at Confessions

Told in two parts, By Royal Command tells the story of Kartin of Courtenay, niece of the King of England. Since she was a young girl, Kartin has been a pawn for her uncle, King Ethelred. It has led to an early marriage to a cruel and controlling husband so that her uncle could strengthen his ties at the border of Scotland. Her husband died two years ago and Kartin has been fending for herself and using her skills to keep her northern keep with her servants, happy to be exiled and happy to not be a pawn in her uncle’s political games.

But things change with the arrival of Eomond a sword—theyn who has come to take her to Ethelred who needs her to make yet another political marriage to strengthen his defenses against England’s enemies. Here is where I started to lose interest in the plot: I knew the answer already—she will not go. She’s more wise and determined because she knows no purpose for high alliance since her father was only a half brother to the king and a bastard. Therefore we know the next thing to happen: Eomond, the Viking bred warrior, will use brute strength based on previous conversations between the pair and his wish to obey the order from the king.

At a stalemate, she decides she will go to her uncle, but her fiery spirit won’t let him get away easily. Like any other hot blooded male, he wants her but he can’t have her because of the difference in their classes so he does the closest thing to sex. He smacks her on her bottom and hopes for the best … but it doesn’t deter her and soon the couple break classes and start an affair.

Even then Karin doesn’t stop her in her bid to get away; when they arrive in town near the home of Ethelred and meet a friend of his, Thorkell, who is also in service, Karin makes the biggest mistake of her life and asks for help in escaping. Eomond finds out just before she is about to leave and decides to take her fully, partly to punish her but largely because he wants her.

The next few chapters capture the arrival at the keep of Ethelred where she finds out that her uncle is still as perverted as ever, lusting after her because she looks likes her mother. Therefore, she does the only thing she can think of—flaunts Eomond around, which results in him sent away . And to top it all off, she discovers she is carrying his child which she uses to try and get out of marrying another man but her uncle has a solution … Here once again, I knew what was going to happen, I could already figure out who she was going to get married to because of the family presence in the keep.

At the end of part one, we see Karin lose the baby she is carrying and discover she is marrying the younger son of dowager Lady of Argent, who she had previously asked whether or not her son was married. Part two sees us travelling to the older brother Borovic’s castle to meet her betrothed Rafael le Senay who has inherited his title from his second brother. Rafael was to become a bishop and was studying under the Pope until his brother died at the Viking hand’s. Karin is expecting to have a bookish husband who her uncle thinks she can control but is surprised to find that he is not what she expected. In fact, Rafael has been pretending to be one of his knights, the Black Fox, who gained a reputation as a daring opponent.

Rafael heard the rumours and he has resigned himself to marry Karin if she will agree but he doesn’t expect his brother to take an interest. Wait for it—because she reminds him of his first wife. NOOOOO! Please anything else! I can’t stand to have another character like this; we already have the king. So the second half turna into the first half and Karin soon is slowly falling in love with her husband and dealing with problems from her dowager Lady of Argent and her brother-in-law.

I really wanted to like this book and give it an excellent rating (5 couples) but things deterred me from the onset. It still is an interesting take on a younger woman’s life in the year 1005 AD, but even so, I give it 3 couples.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 E_bookpushers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, e-book, historical, romance, reviewed

Review originally posted at: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/07/04/...

Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Two brothers. One woman. Three hearts at war.
Katrin of Courtenay’s husband is dead—and she doesn’t mourn him. He was cruel and controlling, and she doesn’t need a husband to hold her northern keep. But her vengeful uncle, the King of England, has other ideas: intent on marrying her off, he’s ordered his Viking-bred warrior to re...more Review originally posted at: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/07/04/...

Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Two brothers. One woman. Three hearts at war.
Katrin of Courtenay’s husband is dead—and she doesn’t mourn him. He was cruel and controlling, and she doesn’t need a husband to hold her northern keep. But her vengeful uncle, the King of England, has other ideas: intent on marrying her off, he’s ordered his Viking-bred warrior to return her to court.
On the journey, the Viking captures her interest, and for the first time Katrin understands passion. But her guard is honor-bound to deliver her to the king, and so it is settled—she must wed the mysterious Rafael le Senay, the Baron of Belmaine.
A forced marriage to a stranger slowly becomes something more, and Katrin realizes she is in love with Rafael. But with the shadow of her former lover hanging over her, and Rafael’s powerful brother making dangerous plans, can Katrin negotiate the delicate balance between survival and happiness?
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

I was browsing Netgalley last month when I saw the cover to this book. It looked interesting because I could tell it was a historical but it was missing the typical overflowing bodice complete with partial cinch with a man who manly boobs were almost as big as the woman’s. Thanks to my curiosity I had to click to see what it was about. The blurb intrigued me so I went ahead and requested it. Once I started reading By Royal Command it seemed like I was reading one of the epic historical romances from yesteryear.

It took a little while for the heroine to grow on me. Her attempts to get out of following her uncle’s command struck me as a combination as crafty and then immature likewise her affair with the Viking. Then I met her uncle…and I could see the reason behind some of her behavior. I really started liking her when she went through a traumatic event, not one I would wish on anyone, and was actually forced to grow up. She took stock of her options and decided to go with the one that had the best chance for her life/safety and the life/safety of her Viking lover. I will admit I was concerned about Katrin’s sense of morals when she arrived at the home of her betrothed but luckily for me part of Katrin’s maturing process included the fact that she would now keep her word.

Rafael was another character that had to grow on me. I liked him initially but then he displayed his immaturity when it came to dealing with women for more than sexy times. I felt that he violated the bargain that he struck with Katrin before their marriage and never gave her a chance tell her side of the story. He did come through for Katrin in the end in a very moving fashion, which I liked. I was slightly let down when it came to his big secret because I thought it was going to be more.

Overall I think my favorite character happened to be Rafael’s mother. She was such an enigma from her initial entrance into the story and then, while maintaining her character, she was instrumental in several key moments. I had my hopes that sometime after the book ended that she would actually become one of Katrin’s supporters. I enjoyed reading By Royal Command but had some issues with the logic behind the behavior of some of the characters. I did buy into the HEA but I thought that Rafael and Katrin would need to continue to watch their backs because of the combination of her uncle and his brother.

I give By Royal Command a B-(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Regan Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well Told Medieval Tale with Unique Perspective and Interesting Love Triangle

This historic romance from Navarre is both well written and unique. For one thing, it’s entirely in the heroine’s perspective so the heroine is in every scene and it’s only her head we’re in (which means the men did more talking!). Despite the tag line on the book’s cover, I did not think this a story of two brothers and one woman. Well, yes, there were two brothers, but one was the villain so he didn’t count as a riva...more Well Told Medieval Tale with Unique Perspective and Interesting Love Triangle

This historic romance from Navarre is both well written and unique. For one thing, it’s entirely in the heroine’s perspective so the heroine is in every scene and it’s only her head we’re in (which means the men did more talking!). Despite the tag line on the book’s cover, I did not think this a story of two brothers and one woman. Well, yes, there were two brothers, but one was the villain so he didn’t count as a rival. The heroine didn’t want him. No, this was the story of the heroine’s two loves, one a Viking-bred hero and one a dark, warrior priest from France. Hence, the rub. It’s not every historical romance that finds the heroine giving her body and her heart to a worthy and noble hero and shortly thereafter marrying another to whom she is instantly attracted. (She “scarcely thinks” of the man she loved but days before.) The heroine called herself fickle; I guess so.

Set in England in 1005, it tells the story of Katrin of Courtenay, whose uncle, Ethelred the King, has summoned her to London to marry again now that her husband is dead. If you’ve encountered Ethelred in other romance novels (and I have), this is a very different man. By the author’s own “note,” she paints him as an evil lecher. Meanwhile, Katrin’s husband had been cruel and controlling, and she doesn't want another one. She believes she can hold her northern keep on the Scottish border well enough alone (though the opening scene would suggest that isn’t the case). To transport her to London, the king has dispatched his Viking-bred warrior, Eomond, to return her to court. On the journey, she and Eomond find they can’t resist the passion between them and Katrin falls in love with her protector. Though Katrin and Eomond love each other, when they arrive at the king’s court, her uncle tells her she’ll wed Rafael le Senay, the Baron of Belmaine. Rafael was training to be a bishop when his younger brother died and he had to take his place. Neither he nor Katrin want the marriage, at least not until they meet.

Navarre’s strength is clearly in storytelling and she captures well the medieval voice. It’s a powerful tale that will hold your interest. And her work reflects serious research for which I give her full marks. But I had trouble with the heroine. I loved her strength and intelligence. But her lies and shifting affections left me cold. (“Merciful God, she’d lied to him already. Now she must weave layer upon layer of deception, vary her pattern like the warp and woof of her loom until he couldn’t see which thread to pull to unravel her falsehoods.”) It was hard to believe her feelings for Rafael, though a worthy hero, were real given the short time between her relationship with him and her last tryst with Eomond. Meanwhile, Eomond is still in the picture. I’d like to see more from this author without that aspect and perhaps with more perspectives than just the heroine’s, but still it was a good read and I can recommend it.
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Jul 26, 2012 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, medieval, romance

This had a terrific opening. There is nothing like being dropped directly into an 11th-century standoff between an eighteen-year-old girl and a pack of starving wolves to get your attention quickly. And when her savior isn't the conventional Knight in Shining Armor™ but a figure almost as terrifying as the wolves, all the better. For the reader, that is.

I am sorely tempted to edit the book's description. "Two brothers. One woman. Three hearts at war." Um, huh? That makes very little sense, espec...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Viviana Izzo rated it 3 of 5 stars

I admit it, it took me significantly longer to finish and get into the book than I would have initially thought. Especially as it’s a short book/story. Katrin views herself as strong and independent woman. Unfortunately, she’s living in a time where women have few if any rights. However, that in it itself isn’t justification for how she goes about ‘surviving’. Perhaps there is where my issue with this book lies. She believes that exploitation and deception is a woman’s tool for survival, which d...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Kelly_Instalove rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-romance, source-netgalley, hist-eng-medieval, era-historical, theme-bodice-ripper, theme-enemies2lovers

Grade: D

The author has a thesaurus, and she knows how to use it.

Grappling with savage urgency in a riot of tumbled cushions, she plunged headlong into rapture in the arms of her wrathful angel.

Status Updates: Read With Me Vicariously

You can tell by the dates that I avoided writing this review.

09/12 - 40%:
"...the curving shell of secrets nestled between her thighs" o.0

09/13 - 42%:
This book is much more Bodice Ripper than I anticipated....

09/13 - 58%:
The metaphors. EVERYTHING is a water, fire...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Lynn Spencer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

If you love Medievals, definitely check out By Royal Command. Set in Anglo-Saxon England, a very colorful and under-utilized time period, this novel caught my interest from the dark and moody beginning and held it to the very end. It wasn't perfect, but it was quite good.

The rest of my review is posted at All About Romance: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...

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Jul 27, 2012 Kristy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. At times I did find it a little tiresome but all in all it kept me entertained and wanting to read more. I felt like the characters were easy to relate to and that I kept hoping that life would work out.

I felt that the book dragged a little bit but not enough for me to get irritated at the slow nature of the book. All in all, it kept me entertained. I may read more from this author but I think I will stick to faster paced books.

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Aug 05, 2012 Janet marked it as to-read

http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo... Great review at All About Romance and a fabulous price of .99 -- if you like medievals, what are you waiting for. I haven't given it a grade because I haven't read it yet.

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Jun 29, 2012 Crystal ♥ RBtWBC marked it as to-read

Shelves: genre-historical-romance, request-author, review-guest-reviewer

See Viv's 3-Wine Glass review of this title at Reading Between the Wines!
"A pleasant quick read. " ~ Viv

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May 15, 2013 Mrsinserra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-s, ebooks

better than i expected from the reviews it was given. I was a bit uncomfortable w/ all the near rape scenes or threatened rape scenes. there were so many. This is NOT a YA book- this IS an ADULT ONLY book! There is sex in this book.

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Oct 10, 2012 Angel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really miss my medieval dresses !!! Superb job on your romance novels Laura :) xoxo

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Dec 13, 2012 Hafiza rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow
Couldn't put it down

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Aug 30, 2012 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: forbidden-love, historical-romance, love-triangle, marriage-of-convience, medieval

3.5 stars

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May 22, 2013 Teresa marked it as to-read

May 21, 2013 Margot marked it as to-read

Shelves: romance

May 14, 2013 905_schrama marked it as to-read

May 09, 2013 Beth marked it as to-read

Apr 25, 2013 Sita marked it as to-read

Shelves: lp

Apr 25, 2013 Laura marked it as to-read

title link	preview: By Royal Command
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By Royal Command

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