What do you think?
Rate this book
Templar Knight, Forbidden Bride
A hardened, battle-weary warrior, Reynaud has forgotten what it is to be in the company of a beautiful woman, to delight in her comfort and warmth.
On his return to Granada, he is drawn to Leonor and senses that she could heal his hidden scars. She is set upon a dangerous path, a path that they travel together, becoming closer every day—every night. But such forbidden passion may be their undoing....
On his return to Granada, he is drawn to Leonor and senses that she could heal his hidden scars. She is set upon a dangerous path, a path that they travel together, becoming closer every day—every night. But such forbidden passion may be their undoing....
280 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 21, 2008
About the author
Lynna Banning
77 books83 followersI was born in Oregon and raised in northern California. While growing up I listened to my grandparents' and my mother's stories about life on the ranch they owned in Douglas County, some miles east of Roseburg.
Later (after I retired from work as a professional editor for an aerospace firm) I began writing fiction based on these stories... my first book was "Western Rose," which is based on the unusual courtship of my grandparents.
A medieval studies major in college, I have also written two medieval novels, one about a Crusader knight and a girl raised in a harem (!) who end up at the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine when she was Queen of England. The second novel is about a Templar knight who falls in love with a young woman troubadour... but of course because of his vows of chastity, he cannot marry.
I hope you will enjoy my books; I always like hearing from readers, so feel free to email me (carolynw@cruzio.com) and also see my website - http://www.lynnabanning.com.
Later (after I retired from work as a professional editor for an aerospace firm) I began writing fiction based on these stories... my first book was "Western Rose," which is based on the unusual courtship of my grandparents.
A medieval studies major in college, I have also written two medieval novels, one about a Crusader knight and a girl raised in a harem (!) who end up at the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine when she was Queen of England. The second novel is about a Templar knight who falls in love with a young woman troubadour... but of course because of his vows of chastity, he cannot marry.
I hope you will enjoy my books; I always like hearing from readers, so feel free to email me (carolynw@cruzio.com) and also see my website - http://www.lynnabanning.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 17, 2022
Meh. Great premise with unorthodox character outlines, but it never grew into anything beyond a clever elevator pitch—clichéd dialogue, cheesy descriptions, flat instalove, murky plot, uninspired sex (& that only in the final section). Why was everyone doing what they were doing? Why all the uber-secretive secrets & wandering around? And why was the villain so bent on his villainy? The dude was so OTT that you couldn’t take him the least bit seriously—it was like Dr Evil had been transported to the 1100s. Also: I haven’t studied much scholastic material about Templars, but I find it difficult to believe the hero’s resolution to his obligations could be that easy, even when helped along by HQN’s Jedi mind-tricks. (Not to mention the author seemed more interested in waxing poetic about tourneys & Disney Medieval castles than giving much depth to the Templar plotline. Zzz.)
So…meh. I was hoping for a HEA version of Knightfall, but it wasn’t to be. :/
So…meh. I was hoping for a HEA version of Knightfall, but it wasn’t to be. :/
December 16, 2014
I really wanted to like this book. Sure, it's a Mills & Boon, but I've come across some great reads in their stable. This, however, was not one of them.
The setting was unusual and intriguing, which was what attracted me to the book: twelfth-century Spain and southern France. The hero was a Templar Knight, and the heroine a part-Arabic girl raised in Moorish Granada. These were all great ingredients for an unusual historical romance. Unfortunately, the execution of the tale did not support the cast and setting. Emotions were laid on heavy-handed, with lots of cliched bodily reaction ('his heartbeat stuttered', 'the insistent swelling of his manhood'). The plot itself did not seem believable, with an Arab-raised girl riding alone over the countryside with a knight, and Templar intrigue seemingly for intrigue's sake.
I reached the halfway point in this novel through sheer determination. I couldn't make myself finish it.
The setting was unusual and intriguing, which was what attracted me to the book: twelfth-century Spain and southern France. The hero was a Templar Knight, and the heroine a part-Arabic girl raised in Moorish Granada. These were all great ingredients for an unusual historical romance. Unfortunately, the execution of the tale did not support the cast and setting. Emotions were laid on heavy-handed, with lots of cliched bodily reaction ('his heartbeat stuttered', 'the insistent swelling of his manhood'). The plot itself did not seem believable, with an Arab-raised girl riding alone over the countryside with a knight, and Templar intrigue seemingly for intrigue's sake.
I reached the halfway point in this novel through sheer determination. I couldn't make myself finish it.
September 6, 2015
I didn't care for this one much. This is one of your typical Medieval traveling-and-camping-along-the- way-to-the-next-castle stories, except nothing happens between the couple. There is only sexual TENSION because he has sworn himself to God as a templar knight, and so he practices chastity. She is your typical untried virgin who, by this time period's standards, is an "old maid" because she's in her late 20s. By the time they do eventually go to bed together, the sex is "ho hum" and "yawn".
There is also this "bad guy" in the story who is so truly evil that I cannot believe that anyone in the story supports him. He did get his "just desserts" in the end, though.
There is also this "bad guy" in the story who is so truly evil that I cannot believe that anyone in the story supports him. He did get his "just desserts" in the end, though.
August 30, 2017
I didn't finish this book. I am not sure if it was the author's writing style or not, but I found it somewhat hard to follow the story. The hero I didn't find all that likable, he feels lust towards the heroine, which is fine, but he seems to lack any tender feelings towards her, even when he finds out he knew this woman as a child. Also he has many questions about her strange behavior, but he takes no opportunity to discuss these questions with her, even though they make a long journey on horseback together within the first few chapters.
December 11, 2019
I really like this book. Reynaud is a beautifully developed character. His angst and inner turmoil sucked me in and made me want the best for him.
October 8, 2008
Templar Knight, Forbidden Bride by Lynna Banning
Mass Market Paperback release date September 1, 2008
4 stars
Templar Knight, Forbidden Bride is an eloquently written story by Lynna Bening. In beautiful detail she tells the story of Reynaud, a Templar Knight has come back to his adopted home after a 20 year absence.
His is returning only to carry-out a mission of the highest order. But his plan is complicated by Leonor, a childhood friend who, now as a grown woman, captures his imagination and incites an internal war between his oath to the Temple Order and giving in to the passion he feels for her.
Renaud is a long suffering character who has always felt like an outsider, but desperately longing for a place where to "belong". Leonor battles to break the chains of what she deems as the typical, suffocating role of a woman of her time. When she becomes involved in Renaud's mission, both struggle towards their responsibility to the mission and their growing passion.
Lynna Bening has a lyrical writing style. One of my favorite lines from the book is: "One should not leave this life without knowing, at least once, the peace of another's touch upon one's soul". She captures the medieval time beautifully and builds a story in which you become invested in the outcome.
Reviewed by Cez at Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Mass Market Paperback release date September 1, 2008
4 stars
Templar Knight, Forbidden Bride is an eloquently written story by Lynna Bening. In beautiful detail she tells the story of Reynaud, a Templar Knight has come back to his adopted home after a 20 year absence.
His is returning only to carry-out a mission of the highest order. But his plan is complicated by Leonor, a childhood friend who, now as a grown woman, captures his imagination and incites an internal war between his oath to the Temple Order and giving in to the passion he feels for her.
Renaud is a long suffering character who has always felt like an outsider, but desperately longing for a place where to "belong". Leonor battles to break the chains of what she deems as the typical, suffocating role of a woman of her time. When she becomes involved in Renaud's mission, both struggle towards their responsibility to the mission and their growing passion.
Lynna Bening has a lyrical writing style. One of my favorite lines from the book is: "One should not leave this life without knowing, at least once, the peace of another's touch upon one's soul". She captures the medieval time beautifully and builds a story in which you become invested in the outcome.
Reviewed by Cez at Bookaholics Romance Book Club
November 5, 2014
Elements of it were okay but having done more research into life of the Templars I found the ending too abrupt and unbelievable ie how easy it is for Reynaud to finally leave the Order. I felt this could have been built up more - then again, its not historical fiction but historical romance....and its not easy to write a book after all! Hence the three stars.
March 11, 2009
Good read, an exotic twist to the medieval romance genre.Interesting about Templar Knights, there is a lot of historical information thrown in for good measure. Easy light read.
September 25, 2009
Medieval
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews