SOLVED. A Magical book about a girl in love [s]

[Ashlie]

Okay, so a long time ago (approx 10ish years?) I read a book about this girl who lived in a normal land, but then discovered a world of magic in the forest. She falls for a guy, and the only major thing I remember about the book is that he was a member of the magical land (Almost positive they were fairies or something similar) and

(spoiler, sort of!)

to keep him in her land with her she has to 'rescue' him at a crossroads after the rulers of the magical realm take him back. They are all on horseback and she has to get him off the horseback, but he can't get off by himself, so she dives at him and holds him in the bushes until the whole train of people go by so he can't re-join them because they cannot stop no matter what, it's all some sort of ritual or something.

Man, that is not a lot to go on, and I apologize profusely, but if you have any ideas at all, please let me know!

[Ashlie]

I do remember that the book was set back in like Victorian-era times. It was a fantasy fairytale in that regards. And I believe she met the guy at a castle or a ruined castle in the forest, so she visited him there a lot.

[Janet]

That sounds like a modern version of the folk tale Tam Lin. There are lots of rewrites of it - I found a good list on wikipedia, when I searched Tam Lin. It might be one of them.

[Ashlie]

It is one of them!!! I remember in the story that tale was one her mother told her or something. OMG thank you so much! I'm going to investigate that further now :)

[Ashlie]

An Earthly Knight by Janet McNaughton! You are my new hero :D

[Janet]

Glad I could help!

[Michele]

Might also be The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Pope.