A Norman Lord arrives at a Saxon Lady’s manor in need of care after a battle. Even though the Saxons are trying to rid England of the Normans, this one finds that not all Saxons are enemies. Gwenhyfer is her father’s daughter whom most men are scared of, but this Norman sees her as she really is.

Jennifer Mueller draws her reader into the world of the Norman rule in England and deftly crafts a story that entertains, captures and tickles the senses. Her characters are solid with depth and emotion, the plot is tight and the love scenes are passionate and romantic.

Castles of Crete by Katia Lyon

Starting with ruined castle at Gramvousa on the west coast, Crete is full of castles in various states of disrepair. Considering that this island is the birthplace of European civilisation, beginning in 2000 BC, there is a remarkable the amount of history that can be found here, and beautiful historic castles to visit.

 The Venetian castle on the strategic islet of Gramvousa was built in the 13^th century and raided many times by pirates including Barbarossa. Today only ruins remain, yet the islet is a sanctuary surrounded by crystal clear waters. Day tours or sailing trips are available to this islet and its lagoon – called Balos – trips always offer visitors the opportunity to walk up the steep path to the castle, well worth the heartburn, rewarding castle lovers with magnificent views.

 The town of Kastelli Kissamos is named after a castle that was built in the 16^th century by the Venetians. This vibrant rural centre is located in the Chania prefecture in the west of Crete, a rich producer of olive oil. The town looks over the protected waters of Kissamos bay, and is within striking distance of some of the most beautiful untouched beaches of Crete.

 The southern Cretan town of Paleohora also boasts ruins of a kastro which was destroyed by Barbarossa. Built on a thin finger of land pointing out into the Libyan Sea, this lonely outpost was prone to pirate attacks. The rugged mountains of Crete made access difficult and today make the area popular with hikers, nature lovers and bird watchers who come to see the rare Bearded Vultures.

 The magnificent port of Chania, once known as the "Venice of the East " where those famously accomplished Venetians built strong buttress walls around the city, which still stand, and her fortress at the entrance to the harbour, which is now in ruins. Chania’s old town is full of nooks and crannies and full of history, that of the Minoans, the Arabs, Saracens and others that wove their way into Crete’s fabric over her long lifetime. 

Frangokastello (left) is one of the fullest castles remaining in Crete. This castle has a violent and turbulent history, and the spooky story of hauntings to her credit. Located on an isolated beach on the rugged south coast of Crete, this castle was built in the 1371 century by Venetians. Sitting on the coast of one of the proudest regions of Crete, Sfakia, this strategic point was valiantly defended by Cretan warriors against the Turks on the 18^th of May 1828. Many deaths occurred.

 To this day, locals report a ghostly parade of these black clad Sfakian men from the castle to the nearby church, on or about the anniversary of the battle. This has been witnessed many times and even the subject of paranormal investigation.

 Even without the haunting, Frango Kastello is an enigmatic location which cries out for soul searching, surrounded by the vast mountains of Kriti and swept by the sea.

 In Heraklion is a sea fort castle Castello del Molo which is so beautiful, crowned with the stunning Lion of St Mark above the entrance, and now vibrates as an open air theatre in summer festivals.

 Linda loves to write romance with a fantasy or science fiction flair.  Her technique is often described as being as visual as a motion picture or graphic novel.  By day she is a Kindergarten teacher, wife, and mother of two who lives in a small south Texas town near the Gulf coast.  But at night she delves into worlds filled with daring exploits and sensual, erotic romance.