The French Prize in Aussie Readers

Jul 22, 2014 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-are, provided-by-publisher, aussie-author

The French Prize is a contemporary romantic adventure set in Provence, a change of pace for author Cathryn Hein who has a reputation for her heartwarming Australian rural romance novels.

Dr Olivia Walker is a historian obsessed with finding the mythical sword, Durendal, said to have belonged to the warrior Roland, a champion of Charlemagne’s court. When she is employed by the wealthy Raimund Blacard to recover La Tasse due Chevalier Gris, 'The Cup of the Grey Knight', she is one step closer to r
The French Prize is a contemporary romantic adventure set in Provence, a change of pace for author Cathryn Hein who has a reputation for her heartwarming Australian rural romance novels.

Dr Olivia Walker is a historian obsessed with finding the mythical sword, Durendal, said to have belonged to the warrior Roland, a champion of Charlemagne’s court. When she is employed by the wealthy Raimund Blacard to recover La Tasse due Chevalier Gris, 'The Cup of the Grey Knight', she is one step closer to realising her dream and silencing her detractors, for etched around the rim is a clue to legendary sword's location.
For centuries the descendants of one of Charlemagne's most trusted aides, Guy of Nabonne, have been the guardians of Durendal but in the 14th century its hiding place was lost. Foreign Legion Captain Raimund Blacard is the last of his family line and he is determined to recover the sword before his murderous rival Gaston, and to Olivia's horror, destroy it.

In part, The French Prize is an Indiana Jones style treasure hunt for a lost relic as Olivia and Raimund search for the clues that will lead them to Durendal. The sword, and the legends of Roland and Charlemagne, are historical facts which have been incorporated into the story and then blended with Hein's imagination.

If I am honest the romance was a touch heavy for me personally with all the yearning and the brooding, it didn't quite overwhelm the plot but I did feel like it threatened to on occasion. That said, the chemistry, relationship development and conflict between Olivia and Raimund was believable within the context of the story.

Olivia, as a passionate historian who has chased the legend of Durendal for most of her life, is horrified by Raimund's plans to destroy the sword and hopes to convince him to spare it. She naively refuses to let the hunt go, even with Gaston posing a very real threat, but proves capable and resourceful.
Raimund is all about duty and honour but his elder brother's murder at the hands of Gaston has him swearing to destroy the sword, despite his family's legacy of guardianship. Grieving and weary, he sees himself as cursed which is why he rebuffs Olivia despite their obvious mutual attraction.

Hein's settings are nicely realised, from the landscape of the French countryside to the hidden room storing Raimund's family treasures, her characters are well drawn and the plot is neatly crafted. Combining romance with well paced action and suspense, The French Prize is an engaging novel.
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Sep 04, 2014 Bree T rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, arc, suspense, mystery, cultural, history, france, aww2014

Ever since her grandmother told her the stories of Charlemagne warrior Roland and his sword Durendal, Dr Olivia Walker has been hooked. Now an Oxford scholar with a premier reputation, she has dedicated her life to finding out everything she can about the possible location of the famed sword. And now she has had a break through.

Olivia is bankrolled by the Frenchman Raimund Blacard, a descendant of Roland and his family but Raimund has his own ideas about what they’re going to do with the sword w Ever since her grandmother told her the stories of Charlemagne warrior Roland and his sword Durendal, Dr Olivia Walker has been hooked. Now an Oxford scholar with a premier reputation, she has dedicated her life to finding out everything she can about the possible location of the famed sword. And now she has had a break through.

Olivia is bankrolled by the Frenchman Raimund Blacard, a descendant of Roland and his family but Raimund has his own ideas about what they’re going to do with the sword when they find it. Generations of Blacard men have protected its location but not without personal cost. When Raimund’s brother was kidnapped, tortured and killed by a man who believes he is the rightful heir to the sword, Raimund made a vow to himself – and it’s a vow he intends to keep at all costs.

Now Olivia, who wants to find and preserve the relic for all to experience and enjoy, finds herself torn. On one hand, she has hunted for the sword, seeking to solve it’s mystery for almost her entire life. The scholar in her wants to preserve and study. But on the other hand, Raimund is the man she has fallen in love with and she may not be able to stop him from seeing his promise through and destroying the sword.

The French Prize is a new novel by acclaimed rural romance author Cathryn Hein – but it is definitely not a rural romance! In this one she moves away from farm boys and country Australia and instead we’re in Europe with a sexy but rather aloof Frenchman and the search for an ancient relic. As a reader, it can be quite difficult when an author you enjoy tries something new – will you like it as much as the others? Will the differences make or break?

Fortunately I found it all too easy to celebrate the differences in this book. The action is fast paced and clever, with Olivia and Raimund battling to stay one step ahead of Raimund’s murderous foe, who killed his brother and will stop at nothing to deliver the same to Raimund in order to claim the sword. As the last of the Blacards, Raimund is the only thing standing between him and the sword. A soldier in the French Foreign Legion, Raimund is skilled and capable but also grieving and weary. He’s tired of this game, centuries spent protecting something that has caused much heartache and loss. Raimund is very different from the previous heroes in Hein’s books but he’s still undeniably attractive. He’s much more closed off on the surface – definitely a soldier used to following orders and giving them. At times Olivia wonders if he actually has a sense of humour but scratch the surface and Raimund is full of surprises! Olivia is smart and capable, extremely dedicated to the quest (at times almost to the detriment of her own safety) but the further along they get, the more confused she becomes. She started out wanting to discover the sword for the academic benefits, giving the world a chance to see learn about something that most people thought was just a fairy tale. It’s consumed a lot of her life, it’s often made her the topic of ridicule but she’s never wavered in her beliefs that it existed and that she would be able to find it. But the more time she spends with Raimund, the more she learns of how this has almost cursed his family, how it has taken so much from him and how desperately he wants to destroy it and end it once and for all, the more she becomes torn between the academic side of her and the romantic side of her that wants Raimund to be happy. The two of them have some really good chemistry, made complicated by Raimund’s promise and his reluctance to become involved, seek a happiness for himself that he doesn’t believe he can achieve.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve never been much of a history buff. I never took history in high school, never picked up an elective at university and it’s only later in life that I started to find an interest in it. I learn through reading now – fiction leads me to research and non-fiction a lot of the time and I’m slowly attempting to fill in the (large) gaps. I loved the historical element in this because it wasn’t too extensive – it was fun and exciting and just enough to get you intrigued. There’s lots of mystery and puzzling out of clues as well as some tricky gadgets and fast cars. This book is a virtual treasure hunt in an exotic location, filled with vivid descriptions of food and wine that’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. I found myself wanting to drink a wine I’d never even tried before – and the thing is, I don’t even really like wine!

The French Prize has a little of everything – romance, mystery, action, food and fun. It’s taken Cathryn Hein out of the rural romance box and proved that she has a lot more to offer readers with a complex and enjoyable story. I’ve always loved her rurals but I have to say, I love this one just as much! ...more

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Sep 03, 2014 Helen rated it it was amazing

I loved this story it has everything that will have you captured in the journey from page one the characters are so real you will feel as if you are there and the setting awesome this one is exciting suspenseful and filled with action as Olivia and Raimund search for a medievil sword that has caused Raimund's family heartache over the centuries. Dr Olivia Walker is an historian hired by Raimund Blancard to help find an an ancient cup that holds a riddle of where the magical sword is hidden but a ...more

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Aug 13, 2014 Tien rated it really liked it

Shelves: france, australian-author, romance, net-galley

The French Prize was a fun light-hearted romance that I really enjoyed. What I really liked was the collision of history and present time. And ‘knights’! I think that says it all...

Dr Olivia Walker is an intelligent woman chasing her dreams... her dreams, though, were about to come through yet they just might undermine her future happiness. She’s a woman who knows herself and is spunky enough to stand for herself –an easily likeable heroine.

Raimund Blancard is the last of his line and determined ...more

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