Shadowheart

Medieval Hearts, Book 2

By: Laura Kinsale

Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton

Length: 17 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

A fatally dangerous man...and the woman who stands in the way of all he's ever desired.

Beautiful and ruthless, the elegant assassin Allegreto will stop at nothing to regain his rightful place. And the perfect instrument has just fallen into his hands, in the lovely form of Lady Elena - the long-lost princess of the land he intends to wrest back from his enemies. But she is no mere maiden to be possessed. Even as he forces her to bend to his will, in the heat of desire and fury Elena finds the hidden power in her own soul, a merciless passion and command that will bind her dark lover and bring him to his knees. Her mastery may destroy him…or build an unexpected future from the bitter ashes of his life and dreams.

©2004 Hedgehog Inc (P)2014 Hedgehog Inc

It’s like getting chocolate for the first time!!!

I am so in love with narrations done by Nicholas Boulton that I keep checking for his new books and literally squeaked out loud when I saw this book. I can say with certainty that he is the BEST narrator of his time.
Now that aside, this book was magnificent. It was even better written than the previous ones published on Audible. LK’s books are so very original and amazingly gripping that I can not put the book down. Clever storyline, great imagination and fabulous character building. An A+ for sure.

Intricate, uniquely erotic

This is my first Kinsale novel but likely, not my last. It is a great story of redemption and self-discovery set during medieval times, I think. There were times that I wished the story was shorter, but I can’t say that the space was wasted. Kinsale does an amazing job at developing every nuance of the story and not in a wasteful, gratuitous way. Unlike some stories that I want to continue on, I was a bit more anxious to get to the conclusion of this story. At the same time, I didn’t want to miss any aspect of the story. So I couldn’t fast forward or skip over any parts, either. So it created great ambivalence in me that was not wholly distasteful. And the ending was well worth every second. There were some unexpected twists; this book is far from predictable but always makes sense. Watching the development of the relationship between the H and h was magnificent. The push and pull of their relationship amidst their own developmental struggles was expertly done. And the development occurred in a way that was utterly believable, without question.
There are maybe 3 or 4 sexual encounters, which include female domination of the H by the h. They are sensual and uniquely erotic but not explicit, in the contemporary sense, though consensual harshness is present. For some, this part of the relationship may seem too strange; it is unusual but seems to fit and make sense within the scope of the novel and the charactes.
Because of the intricacy of the novel, the writing may seem over-the-top for some. The way Kinsale describes almost everything in immaculate but unique ways was lovely to me. I can’t think of an example, but it’s worth noting when listening to the sample. So the listener is able to clearly see and vicariously experience the story as it unfolds. Kinsale’s writing combined with the expert narrator is better than watching a movie and just as detailed. I’m left feeling like I could find the places she describes and recognize her characters if I ran into them in the street. Finally, there’s really nothing to say about the narration. I agree with another reviewer about the absolute and unquestionable skill of this narrator. He may indeed be “the best”.

A Serious Book...not run of the mill romance

Get ready to invest some thought into this book when listening. This is true Kinsale - serious writing. Complex story lines, more complex characters...and she will make you feel when listening to this book. I HIGHLY recommend this book - but only if you are looking for a more REAL, SERIOUS, and THOUGHT PROVOKING listen. I listen to Kinsale between "fluffy" regency romance because she really grabs you and brings you into a story.

Perfectly Astonishing

This is such a thought-provoking book.

Laura Kinsale is known for sending her characters on long, difficult journeys, physically, intellectually, and emotionally. It's one of the things I really like about her books; the characters' struggles have costs and transform people over the course of the story. This story is no exception to that trend. The story begins with a setup familiar to many readers of historical romance: the young and innocent maiden taken captive by a violent, troubled outlaw and forced into a marriage, or at least into bed, where she eventually comes to love him. This is one of the most problematic things about the genre, but Kinsale, as usual, quickly mixes up the formula and creates something completely new.

Instead of presenting us with a milquetoast heroine who succumbs to piratical ravishment, Kinsale gives us Elena, who never misses a lesson and continually finds some agency even when she seems most helpless. One review I read of this mentioned the "disturbingly alpha hero" as a possible problem for some readers - I'm almost done with this book, and I'm wondering if maybe they meant the "disturbingly alpha heroine?" Yes, Allegreto is powerful, wicked, menacing. He does things that are not okay to advance his own interests. But pay attention to Elena and I think you'll find an capable, intelligent heroine who takes charge of every situation through the application of a little wit and daring. I never saw her as anything but an equal to Allegreto, and I didn't think he was over-the-top macho - in fact, he was desperately, beautifully vulnerable.

Much has been said about the sadomasochistic nature of the sex scenes; I didn't find them troubling at all. Everything made sense within the context of the story and the characters' experiences, and the romance between the H/h was so intense at times I actually found some of their conversations more overwhelming than their physical intimacy.

Laura Kinsale really pushes the boundaries of romance, but it pays off in this sensational novel. Nicholas Boulton totally kills the narration, too.

Romantically Passionate With a Twist of Medieval Dominatrix

Dear Ms. Kinsale: every time I think you have written the best romance novel then I am pleasantly enchanted with another that tops the rest. Shadowheart is possibly one of your best. Every element is introduced with craft and depth. The characters are, of course, emotionally tortured but love prevails with sensual steam and passion. Your talent and choice of narrator is exquisite. More please. Signed, a devoted fan of your inspiring deeply romantic tales.

Excellent but dark.

Any additional comments?

I knew this tale would be dark because it centered around Alegretto. I wasn't quite prepared for the sex scenes but they were tastefully done. And the characters attached themselves to your heart as every Laura Kinsale character must. Nicholas Boulton is incredible and does beautiful justice to the author's work.

WOW.. Earth Shuddering, LK out did herself.

Days later, I'm still trying to take this one in. I believe I will have to have another listen. I'm kicking myself for not downloading this one earlier. Deep stuff, no doubt!

Another Great Book From One of My Favorite Authors

Laura Kinsale never fails to deliver stories that keep the reader/listener riveted until the end. Her novels have powerful sensual chemistry, magic, tender romance, and amazing character development. Wonderful. Nicholas Boulton is a delicious narrator.

More plots and excitement from the Middle Ages.

This book takes up the story begun in Book ! after a gap in time of around 12 years, and develops the stories of those who were originally minor characters. There is plenty of action and suspense right up to the final pages. Superbly read by Nicholas Boulton, who has the ability to create exactly the atmosphere intended by the author.

More please from this combination!

Astonishing! Thrilling! Amazing!

Laura Kinsale brings to her readers, a book 2 that is an absolute credit worthy continuation to Medieval Hearts. In Book 2, LK creatively brings about a seemingly loveless character to his knees in love and redemption. Nothing short of a miraculous and believable character transformation.

As Laura's fans have come to expect from the her, you will experience a jaw dropping, awe-inspiring, can’t put down, captivating historical romance.

This novel is exhilarating; gratifying and exhausting (in the best sense of the word) experience (and I mean experience: see, hear, smell taste, and feel everything along with these amazing characters) the talented work that is Laura Kinsale.

I remain addicted.

I do have one concern in my recommendation – as mentioned in another review, there are a few S&M scenes introduced in this novel. This was not particularly appealing to me, and I found it somewhat troublesome, however, artistically speaking, I could, to a certain extent, see how it might have been warranted for this story, as the alpha male had been severely abused as a child, adolescent, and young adult. Of course, the abusive upbringing of this character also made it more sad than tantalizing. Even so, I absolutely loved these characters and wanted the best possible outcome for them.

Again, the combination of Kinsale’s writing style and ability, with the brilliant narration of Nicholas Boulton, is perfection. I have said it before, and it will always bear repeating, Nicholas Boulton has got to be the most outstanding male narrator of Historical Romance of all time. His rich baritone voice is mesmerizing and is one to absolutely LOVE. This collaboration is nothing short of excellence!