Conqueror’s Kiss by Hannah Howell

Narrated by Allison Pike

Originally published in 1991, Tantor Audio recently released Hannah Howell’s Conqueror’s Kiss. Being one who loves a good medieval romance, I decided to give this one a try, though I am sometimes wary of historical romances written many years ago due to their frequent forced seduction themes. Well, I’m happy to report that Conqueror’s Kiss did not contain any of this element. In fact, I found the hero from the fourteenth century to be remarkably modern minded. Rather than taking advantage of his “plunder” and “spoils of war,” he chooses to seduce the heroine, vowing that she will not share his bed until she is the one doing the asking. Moreover, his remarkably generous actions, even at the fear of being labeled a traitor by Robert the Bruce, also endeared me to this giant and yet merciful hero. Additionally, Allison Pike delivers an above average narration making this title a natural choice to enjoy in audio format.

Jennet Graeme is stuck amidst the devastation that follows the Scottish border wars. Having witnessed her mother’s horrific death as a direct result of the war, Jennet (Scottish by descent) has sought safety in a convent on English lands. Unfortunately, or fortunately as it ultimately turns out, she soon finds out that even a convent isn’t immune to the battle.

Sir Hacon Gillard, one of the Scottish soldiers who invade and conquer the English convent where Jennet is hiding, immediately discerns that of all the property for the taking, Jennet is what he really wants. Jennet’s compassion and bravery are what instantly catches Hacon’s eye, and he is determined to claim her for himself.

Fully expecting to be taken without a choice, Hacon’s protection and determination to seduce Jennet both infuriate and intrigue her. Despising what she believes are the irredeemable traits of a warrior who can kill without remorse, Jennet determines to never give in to Hacon. However, the longer they travel together and the more she gets to know the true man underneath the armor, the more she finds herself desiring Hacon and having feelings for him. And when he becomes a target of an evil plot from an unbelievable source, Jennet is forced to finally determine where her true allegiances lie.

Allison Pike renders an above-average performance in Conqueror’s Kiss. Her rendition was made particularly enjoyable by the fact that she rendered both believable male and female voices. She also gives the characters appropriate accents and personality specific intonations. From Hacon’s Scottish, masculine sounding brogue to Jennet’s compassionate and yet demanding Scottish accented infused speech, you get the feeling that the characters are accurately portrayed, bringing them realistically to life.

Ms. Pike also does a good job pacing her delivery, appropriately changing her cadence and pitch when necessary to convey the mood of the scene. Perhaps my only observation is that I have listened to Ms. Pike’s narrations of Scottish romances in the past (under her better known narrator name of Angela Dawe), and she tends to use the same intonation for the heroes in her books. Within a couple of minutes of starting the book, I couldn’t help but think of other books she has narrated given the undeniable similarities. It is also worth noting that she uses a rather strong Scottish accent, so her portrayal may not be to the liking of all listeners. I suggest that you sample the narration first before purchasing to confirm the narration is to their liking.

All in all, I recommend Conqueror’s Kiss for lovers of medieval romances, who will be pleasantly rewarded with a surprisingly modern-minded twist to a classic romantic tale.

BJ

Narration: B

Book Content: B

Steam Factor: Glad I had my earbuds in

Violence Rating: Fighting

Genre: Historical Romance (Medieval)

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Conqueror's Kiss was provided to AudioGals by Tantor Audio for a review.