SOLVED. Historical romance where heroine is running away from marriage to an evil man and disguises herself as a boy while traveling with a bard [s]

[Fallon]

Hi there! I read this book back sometime in 2001-2004, and I believe it was written between the 80s and 90s. There is an abandoned post --> https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... that was looking for the same book.

The details I remember are, the heroine did not want to marry the evil man who was described as a pig, and so she meets the hero, a traveling bard who agrees to help her. He cuts her hair off, has her bind her breasts and dresses her in men's clothing, calling her his apprentice (i think) named Robin. They travel around and fall in love, and turns out she is god daughter to the Queen. At the end she is pregnant by the hero but ends up forcibly married to said evil guy, using pig's blood to fake her virginity, and the hero fakes his death to save her. Cue happy ending.

Scouring the internet has left me with nothing but Robin Hood novels, so any help would be awesome!! Thank yoU :)

[Susan]

I think know this book.... it's one of my audibles I think.... was the "bard" a future laird in disguise? Also, I think one of the pocket watch time travel books uses a similar idea... but NOT the same. If it's medieval..... I'll look when I can, I have hundreds!....

[Fallon]

Hi Susan! It's medieval, I think it was English not Scottish so he wouldn't be a laird. But if you find it let me know!! Thank you!

[Susan]

I haven't found it yet but I know it's Scott's definitely a Laird and no queens god daughter.... but it sounds like a couple I have sort of rolled together... I'll post them to you if I come home cross them....😁

[Ayshe]

Fool's Paradise maybe?

[Sierra]

I think the book you're looking for may be "Troubador" by Mary Hoffman. I'm not sure how it ends because I never finished it, but the beginning sounds the same - Elinor runs away from an arranged marriage and disguises herself as a boy, traveling with a group of minstrels, and becomes a troubadour. Takes place in France I think, though.

[Fallon]

@ayshe -- that's it!! Oh my goodness thank you! And thank you Susan and Sierra... I'll check out both books as well because I think I'll like them 😁😁😁