Sense of Touch by Rozsa Gaston
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Historical, Romance, Medieval
In July of 1497 Anne of Brittany, Queen of France, gives birth to a son. Within hours the child joins the five dead siblings who came before him.
In the mournful weeks that follow, fifteen-year-old Nicole St. Sylvain meets Philippe de Bois, a young horse trainer breaking in one of the queen’s stallions. The attraction between the two is immediate, but duty and honor bring their romance to an abrupt halt. They work together to heal the horse’s infected hoof, then part ways.
As the daughter of a wealthy but untitled merchant, Nicole exists in a precarious social position. Her family has money, she is the sole heir, but she is only noble on her dead mother's side. An arranged marriage to an established noble family will secure her future but dash any hope she has of a life with Philippe.
When the queen’s only living child falls ill, she remembers Nicole’s skill as a healer. If Nicole’s healing sense of touch can save the royal child, will the queen reward her with the greatest desire of her heart—marriage to her one true love?
3 out of 5 (good)
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I enjoyed the story of Nicole and Philippe. If you want an easy read, then this is for you. If you enjoy more history in your historical romance, then it might leave you feeling a little flat. I was in the latter camp I'm afraid. The comments that alluded to finding out more about Anne of Brittany in a mix of fact and fiction were disappointing as very little was mentioned. Granted the story is about the two central characters, but the story could have been a tangled love story from any time with a few of the time references thrown in.
That said, it's a well written book, and a pleasurable enough read, just don't expect masses of insight into the people of the time.
I liked the character of Nicole who decided to take charge of her destiny as much as she was able. Her ability to heal was a nice way to get her noticed in more ways than one. Also cook was an interesting character who maybe could have been expanded upon, I felt.
All in all, for a light read a good book.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
ROZSA GASTON writes playful books on serious matters. Women getting what they want out of life is one of them. GASTON studied European intellectual history at Yale, and then received her master's degree in international affairs from Columbia. She lives in Bronxville, NY with her family. Visit her at www.rozsagaston.com. Her motto? Stay playful.