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My Lord Conqueror
MY BELOVED PRISONER
The wild and tempestuous peasant daughter of a slain Saxon lord, Alana of Brynwald bravely resists the brutal Norman invaders — but fears the mysterious specter who haunts her dreams. And now he stands before her — tall and strong as an oak ... terrifying yet strangely exciting. The dark knight of her visions has come to claim her as his prize.
MY LORD CONQUEROR
By rights, Merrick of Normandy should shun the serpent-tongued beauty who wishes him dead. But Alana's sensuous fire draws him to her — and burns him to his warrior soul. It is he who is lord and she the captive. Yet Merrick can never claim true victory until the proud Saxon maid shares his passion — and embraces him as master of her heart
The wild and tempestuous peasant daughter of a slain Saxon lord, Alana of Brynwald bravely resists the brutal Norman invaders — but fears the mysterious specter who haunts her dreams. And now he stands before her — tall and strong as an oak ... terrifying yet strangely exciting. The dark knight of her visions has come to claim her as his prize.
MY LORD CONQUEROR
By rights, Merrick of Normandy should shun the serpent-tongued beauty who wishes him dead. But Alana's sensuous fire draws him to her — and burns him to his warrior soul. It is he who is lord and she the captive. Yet Merrick can never claim true victory until the proud Saxon maid shares his passion — and embraces him as master of her heart
411 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1995
35 people are currently reading
983 people want to read
About the author
Samantha James
82 books499 followersGrowing up in Joliet, Illinois, Samantha James had many childhood aspirations--being a writer was never one of them. When she was ten, she was certain she was destined to be an astronomer. That soon changed (happened a lot during those pre-teen years!) when she decided archaeology was in her future. Detective work was her next goal, thanks to the Trixie Belden mysteries she was reading, and before long, nursing beckoned (courtesy of the Cherry Ames series). In college, she set her sights on teaching history, then briefly entertained the notion of becoming a flight attendant, only to discover she did not like to fly.
Having been raised in a family of avid readers, she was rarely without a book in hand. Her tastes were rather eclectic. She got hooked on the Doc Savage series and Edgar Rice Burroughs after her older brother finished them, in her teen years, moved on to Agatha Christie, Daphne DuMaurier, and Phyllis A. Whitney.
In the meantime, the right guy came along. They met on a semi-blind date at an office Christmas party. She was told he wanted to go out with her, and he was told she wanted to go out with him. Six months later, the U.S. Army shipped him off to Germany--and she wrote faithfully at least three times a week--she often jokes this was the start of her writing career!
Marriage followed, as well as three daughters. Samantha left the detective work to her husband and turned her attention to raising their girls. When her youngest was six months old, two things happened: 1) she read Moonstruck Madness by Laurie McBain and scrambled to find every historical romance she could lay her hands on; 2) her older brother revealed he was writing and submitting his short stories to big-name magazines. As he put it, "I've been rejected by the best of 'em."
The seed was planted. Rejection was a dreaded word, but Samantha figured, "Well, if he can take it, so can I."
That summer, she wrote not one book, but three--longhand, in a notebook, during naptime. Bedtime. Any time she could. The burning desire to write was a long time in coming--she was nearing thirty by then--but she discovered that once she set pen to paper, she couldn't stop.
Those three manuscripts did get the dreaded rejection letter (they're still languishing somewhere in her attic), but she finally hit pay dirt with her fourth. Samantha's brother promptly proposed collaborating on a fantasy together--alas, still unwritten... Nowadays, she's firmly convinced she's the queen of rejected titles for her books. She's only managed to retain two original titles thus far, but writing is indeed a dream come true...
To date, her books have been published in numerous foreign countries (her daughters' number one choice for show-and-tell were always the foreign editions of Mom's books). Known for her heartfelt, emotionally charged "three-hanky reads", her books have been nominated for numerous awards, and have consistently hit the bestseller lists.
Maybe someday she'll do that fantasy-romance collaboration with her brother. For now, she's having a great time spinning dramatic, passionate tales of old...
Having been raised in a family of avid readers, she was rarely without a book in hand. Her tastes were rather eclectic. She got hooked on the Doc Savage series and Edgar Rice Burroughs after her older brother finished them, in her teen years, moved on to Agatha Christie, Daphne DuMaurier, and Phyllis A. Whitney.
In the meantime, the right guy came along. They met on a semi-blind date at an office Christmas party. She was told he wanted to go out with her, and he was told she wanted to go out with him. Six months later, the U.S. Army shipped him off to Germany--and she wrote faithfully at least three times a week--she often jokes this was the start of her writing career!
Marriage followed, as well as three daughters. Samantha left the detective work to her husband and turned her attention to raising their girls. When her youngest was six months old, two things happened: 1) she read Moonstruck Madness by Laurie McBain and scrambled to find every historical romance she could lay her hands on; 2) her older brother revealed he was writing and submitting his short stories to big-name magazines. As he put it, "I've been rejected by the best of 'em."
The seed was planted. Rejection was a dreaded word, but Samantha figured, "Well, if he can take it, so can I."
That summer, she wrote not one book, but three--longhand, in a notebook, during naptime. Bedtime. Any time she could. The burning desire to write was a long time in coming--she was nearing thirty by then--but she discovered that once she set pen to paper, she couldn't stop.
Those three manuscripts did get the dreaded rejection letter (they're still languishing somewhere in her attic), but she finally hit pay dirt with her fourth. Samantha's brother promptly proposed collaborating on a fantasy together--alas, still unwritten... Nowadays, she's firmly convinced she's the queen of rejected titles for her books. She's only managed to retain two original titles thus far, but writing is indeed a dream come true...
To date, her books have been published in numerous foreign countries (her daughters' number one choice for show-and-tell were always the foreign editions of Mom's books). Known for her heartfelt, emotionally charged "three-hanky reads", her books have been nominated for numerous awards, and have consistently hit the bestseller lists.
Maybe someday she'll do that fantasy-romance collaboration with her brother. For now, she's having a great time spinning dramatic, passionate tales of old...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
September 2, 2020
3,5 stars
"My Lord Conqueror" is a Medieval Historical Romance novel that tells the tale of the innocent but very high-spirited Alana of Brynwald who gets captured by the indomitable and feared warrior Merrick of Normandy.Both are equal in their stubborness and pride,and i loved watching these forces clash!Alana refused to surrender to Merrick and that created a lot of dramatic angst,and sometimes she went so far in provocing him that i feared for her life.But while Merrick was forcefull towards her sometimes,he never raped her.The situation was more like forced seduction but soon turns into the traitorous body trope.I really liked Merrick for staying faithful ever since he lays his eyes on Alana,which i know was a abnormal trait at that time.I loved how bewitched he was by her in the way he never can stay away from her.He was a very protective and possessive hero,and a hunky and dangerous knight at that-it made him more alluring to me!Samantha James caught my admiration ever since i read her "Just One Kiss" that earned a big 5-star from me.This book however didn`t stand up to the same level when it came to the story-line developement since it got too dramatic for my sense of liking in the end.Either way,its a very sweet and engaging romance with abduction,hate-love,pregnancy,knights,battle and a very jealous bitchy half-sister ready to stir some trouble.Entertainment in a whole package,i would gladly take it.
"My Lord Conqueror" is a Medieval Historical Romance novel that tells the tale of the innocent but very high-spirited Alana of Brynwald who gets captured by the indomitable and feared warrior Merrick of Normandy.Both are equal in their stubborness and pride,and i loved watching these forces clash!Alana refused to surrender to Merrick and that created a lot of dramatic angst,and sometimes she went so far in provocing him that i feared for her life.But while Merrick was forcefull towards her sometimes,he never raped her.The situation was more like forced seduction but soon turns into the traitorous body trope.I really liked Merrick for staying faithful ever since he lays his eyes on Alana,which i know was a abnormal trait at that time.I loved how bewitched he was by her in the way he never can stay away from her.He was a very protective and possessive hero,and a hunky and dangerous knight at that-it made him more alluring to me!Samantha James caught my admiration ever since i read her "Just One Kiss" that earned a big 5-star from me.This book however didn`t stand up to the same level when it came to the story-line developement since it got too dramatic for my sense of liking in the end.Either way,its a very sweet and engaging romance with abduction,hate-love,pregnancy,knights,battle and a very jealous bitchy half-sister ready to stir some trouble.Entertainment in a whole package,i would gladly take it.
August 31, 2024
ReRead: 8/31/24
Reread: 1/8/20
Reread: 2013-2016
I always enjoy this Bodice-ripper! I love a good Norman Conquerer book, but I do see some flaws in the story now. The h was a pain in the butt in the beginning, but she improves as the story continues.
**************** Orginal review ************
It's one of my favorites by this author. I love how the h is so sweet, well, maybe not to the norman H. As the peasant bastard daughter of the old lord and someone with the sight, Alana is orchestrated by her fellow saxons. This does not stop her from seeing the good in them, especially her witch half-sister. Merrick, the new lord, wants her in his bed. She has other ideas. The love/hate chemistry is great. Soon, he becomes her biggest supporter.
I enjoyed the secondary characters. Villian was easy to spot. It's a fun alpha Male romance
Reread: 1/8/20
Reread: 2013-2016
I always enjoy this Bodice-ripper! I love a good Norman Conquerer book, but I do see some flaws in the story now. The h was a pain in the butt in the beginning, but she improves as the story continues.
**************** Orginal review ************
It's one of my favorites by this author. I love how the h is so sweet, well, maybe not to the norman H. As the peasant bastard daughter of the old lord and someone with the sight, Alana is orchestrated by her fellow saxons. This does not stop her from seeing the good in them, especially her witch half-sister. Merrick, the new lord, wants her in his bed. She has other ideas. The love/hate chemistry is great. Soon, he becomes her biggest supporter.
I enjoyed the secondary characters. Villian was easy to spot. It's a fun alpha Male romance
March 8, 2020
Merrick is a warrior and conqueror. He captures Alana for the purpose of being his slave but they fall in love. They will not admit it though because they are both too stubborn. Heroine's pregnancy, her evil sister and a man she thought she loved when she was a young girl complicate things even more.
Great medieval romance. I love a good, sexy, angsty romance and Samantha James always delivers. I loved this book. The angst was delicious. The book was filled with jealousy, fights, misunderstandings, passion! Hero was brooding, alpha and ruthless, heroine was innocent but feisty. Their chemistry was sizzling. The ending was sweet!
This is the angst I want in my Harlequin Presents but lately they fail to deliver but I knew Samantha James would not disappoint me and she didn't! I have been in a reading slump lately but SJ saved me.
Safe: heroine was a virgin and hero was faithful!
Great medieval romance. I love a good, sexy, angsty romance and Samantha James always delivers. I loved this book. The angst was delicious. The book was filled with jealousy, fights, misunderstandings, passion! Hero was brooding, alpha and ruthless, heroine was innocent but feisty. Their chemistry was sizzling. The ending was sweet!
This is the angst I want in my Harlequin Presents but lately they fail to deliver but I knew Samantha James would not disappoint me and she didn't! I have been in a reading slump lately but SJ saved me.
Safe: heroine was a virgin and hero was faithful!
May 29, 2012
No sorry I simply cant finish this.
The "hero"(hah!) and heroine first meet when some norman knights under his command are bothering her and about to rape her. But he wont stop them,why should he spoil their fun...that is until he notices shes BEAUTIFUL.
Then he intervenes. Because apperantly only attractive women deserves saving?
The feminist part of me raged at this. Yes I know,its the medieval era but still.I want a love interest for the heroine that I dont despise.Is that to much to ask?
He could have still had a chance to redeem himself after this.But no,it all went downward from then on.
Also he goes through the book calling the heroine "saxon" instead of her name. Thats called objectification
and is a very bad thing.He even tries to rape her himself.(only stopped by the heroines faithful cat clawing him)
And the heroine is such a Mary Sue.She is insanely innocent and beautiful,shes a healer and she dreams about things that come true.
She also keeps moaning about how badly her fathers wife treated her just because she was the love child of the woman her father really loved (aka mistress) It was like totally unfair!
The "hero"(hah!) and heroine first meet when some norman knights under his command are bothering her and about to rape her. But he wont stop them,why should he spoil their fun...that is until he notices shes BEAUTIFUL.
Then he intervenes. Because apperantly only attractive women deserves saving?
The feminist part of me raged at this. Yes I know,its the medieval era but still.I want a love interest for the heroine that I dont despise.Is that to much to ask?
He could have still had a chance to redeem himself after this.But no,it all went downward from then on.
Also he goes through the book calling the heroine "saxon" instead of her name. Thats called objectification
and is a very bad thing.He even tries to rape her himself.(only stopped by the heroines faithful cat clawing him)
And the heroine is such a Mary Sue.She is insanely innocent and beautiful,shes a healer and she dreams about things that come true.
She also keeps moaning about how badly her fathers wife treated her just because she was the love child of the woman her father really loved (aka mistress) It was like totally unfair!
August 16, 2010
3.5*
I've always liked the Saxon/Norman stories which is why I picked up this book. It was a good read and I did enjoy the story though overall I had some problems with both the heroine and the hero. I didn't dislike them. Just at times I wanted to slap them both.
The heroine was really, really stubborn for the first part of the book and boy could Merrick be cruel. In fact, he said some awfully cruel things in this one brought on by his serious lack of trust in Alana. Warning - there is a scene when Merrick almosts rapes Alana and is only stopped when her cat jumps on his back and claws him. I wasn't too pleased with this scene and what almost happened was never mentioned again and I believe it should've been. It was like it never happened.
Now, having said that the love scenes between the two were actually very sweet. I only wish we could've seen them admit their love for each other before the last page. That was annoying.
Despite all that it really kept me turning the pages. Yes, Merrick could be cruel but he wasn't awful through the whole book just in parts. Most of Alana's stubborness stemmed from her pride in giving into the Norman who had taken over her home.
Despite my annoyance with the hero and heroine I did enjoy this book. It was a sweet lovestory when they weren't sniping at each other. I enjoyed it enough that I'm reading another book of hers next.
I've always liked the Saxon/Norman stories which is why I picked up this book. It was a good read and I did enjoy the story though overall I had some problems with both the heroine and the hero. I didn't dislike them. Just at times I wanted to slap them both.
The heroine was really, really stubborn for the first part of the book and boy could Merrick be cruel. In fact, he said some awfully cruel things in this one brought on by his serious lack of trust in Alana. Warning - there is a scene when Merrick almosts rapes Alana and is only stopped when her cat jumps on his back and claws him. I wasn't too pleased with this scene and what almost happened was never mentioned again and I believe it should've been. It was like it never happened.
Now, having said that the love scenes between the two were actually very sweet. I only wish we could've seen them admit their love for each other before the last page. That was annoying.
Despite all that it really kept me turning the pages. Yes, Merrick could be cruel but he wasn't awful through the whole book just in parts. Most of Alana's stubborness stemmed from her pride in giving into the Norman who had taken over her home.
Despite my annoyance with the hero and heroine I did enjoy this book. It was a sweet lovestory when they weren't sniping at each other. I enjoyed it enough that I'm reading another book of hers next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2023
Me ha gustado mucho, en realidad todo lo que he leído hasta ahora de la autora me ha gustado, leí una prometida perfecta y un prometido perfecto y me gustaron mucho, la forma de narrar de la autora es muy dulce en este libro me ha sorprendido mucho la gran cantidad de escenas sensuales porque en los otros que leí de ella no habían tantas y no eran tan subidas, aquí hasta narran las de los villanos. Me ha gustado mucho porque me ha parecido una historia con enjundia como las de antes, quería leer una medieval más o menos creíble y creo que lo ha conseguido, aunque no hay escenas polémicas fuertes como tal si que hay seducciones forzosas por decirlo de alguna manera y me ha parecido más realista, aunque hay algunas cosas que me parecen poco creíbles como que todos piensen que ella hace todas esas cosas que pasan por ser supuestamente una bruja, también me ha gustado que es creíble en cuanto a los embarazos es normal que si no se toman medidas la protagonista quede embarazada fácilmente, no como otras novelas medievales que he leído que lo hacen y lo hacen y no se quedan hasta que es conveniente tipo amar a un caballero de Nicole Jordan en comparación con esta última los comportamientos de los personajes me han resultado mucho más creíbles y son de la misma época las dos novelas, también me ha parecido muy tierno el embarazo y el nacimiento y el niño a mí es que me gusta que narren embarazos y partos en los libros y en este está todo el proceso, los protagonistas me han parecido tercos y desconfiados quizá en exceso porque hasta casi el final siguen dudando el uno del otro y quizá la villana me ha parecido caricaturesca vamos se supone que es una dama que se ha criado como tal más que la protagonista que se ha criado como campesina y sin embargo se comporta como una ramera para la época no me pareció creíble que una dama criada como tal supiera tanto de sexo y se acostara con quién quisiera y en cambio la protagonista muy cándida e inocente que me gusta que sea así orgullosa y valiente pero a la vez tierna e inocente y el protagonista orgulloso y desconfiado y dominante y posesivo pero a la vez justo un hombre de su época porque no me gusta que pongan a los protagonistas medievales con mentalidades de este siglo en fin me ha gustado mucho y lo recomiendo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2021
Such a vanilla Norman/Saxon story.🙄 He conquers nothing in this story, he’s polite and a thoughtful guy, and she’s a raging bitch who is still treated kindly. These two argue like they’re 7 yr olds for the entire book.
Medieval stories should have some brutality due to the era, but these people were as pc as modern day people. This author should stick with regency or contemporary books. I was bored to tears honestly, DNF.
This book is the boring, pc version of The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce. People in that book actually acted like people who lived during this period.
Medieval stories should have some brutality due to the era, but these people were as pc as modern day people. This author should stick with regency or contemporary books. I was bored to tears honestly, DNF.
This book is the boring, pc version of The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce. People in that book actually acted like people who lived during this period.
April 29, 2024
4 stars
Definitely a pattern with Samantha James stories. I’m not complaining though, enemies to lovers, surprise pregnancy, ex beaus, mix and repeat. It’s all good. In this particular story though, the FMC was not my fav, the tears and the constant self doubt weakened her as well as her naivety about her sister. I can’t deal with the all forgiving, turn the other cheek. I don’t know their ages but she came across very young and inexperienced, he seemed a lot older. This dynamic occurs frequently in HRs but I’ve never felt it as severely and negatively as between these MCs.
In spite of all that, it stuck with the tried and true, ending with a quick HEA.
Definitely a pattern with Samantha James stories. I’m not complaining though, enemies to lovers, surprise pregnancy, ex beaus, mix and repeat. It’s all good. In this particular story though, the FMC was not my fav, the tears and the constant self doubt weakened her as well as her naivety about her sister. I can’t deal with the all forgiving, turn the other cheek. I don’t know their ages but she came across very young and inexperienced, he seemed a lot older. This dynamic occurs frequently in HRs but I’ve never felt it as severely and negatively as between these MCs.
In spite of all that, it stuck with the tried and true, ending with a quick HEA.
May 9, 2014
4.5 stars. I would have given it 5 stars if he would have begged on his knees in the end. But, it was an excellent book!! Wonderful journey!!
March 12, 2021
Samantha james always delivers if you want to read a good historical book . She's becoming one of my favorite historical authors .
December 27, 2020
Reminded me a little bit of A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught. I disliked that the hero didn't completely trust the heroine till the end.
November 27, 2020
What an amazing and exciting medieval historical romantic journey, this author has a great writing style that captures you and makes you want it to never end , alot of angst, drama , secrets , misunderstandings and plotting and let's not forget the beautiful details, loved it great job as always SJ❤
September 21, 2016
I just want to preface this by saying that I enjoy Samantha James. I don’t worship her, I don’t hate her, I find her books generally entertaining and readable. I don’t rush out and buy her books when they come out but if I’ve got the extra money to spend and I see something new (or a reprint I didn’t already own) I always pick it up.
My Lord Conqueror is a book I’ve read a few times. It’s a run of the mill Norman invasion where the hero (Merrick) is a Norman lord who’s conquered some Saxon stronghold, and in this case, the heroine (Alana) is the bastard daughter of the keep’s former lord. It has all the earmarks of this type of romance — an unwilling heroine and a patient hero. She has visions and from the beginning of the book, she has a vision of Merrick standing over her with a sword as if he’s going to kill her. Since her visions usually come true, obviously this causes some anxiety on her part.
The story is tried and true, but no less fun to read. There’s a lot going on aside from the main romance (Alana’s legitimate half-sister, a few odd murders and occurrences, a very minor secondary romance and more invasions) but I never felt like they distracted me from the main romance, which despite the predictability, still flowed and seemed believable. By the inevitable declaring of one’s love, I did feel that the characters had earned that and felt it, which is nice.
For the first read through, I enjoyed the book. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it didn’t feel like I’d wasted my time reading it, which I think really determines a book’s value.
It’s a book I put on my shelf and take down time to time when I’m in the mood to read a romance but I don’t want to have to concentrate on something I haven’t read yet. However, by the third read through, a few things do tend to jump out. Merrick calls Alana ‘Saxon’ no less than six times in the span of two pages and while you don’t notice it right away, once you notice it, you can’t stop. Which means I’ve probably ruined it for a few people, lol.
It’s not on the level of a Elizabeth Hoyt or Tessa Dare read for me, but it’s also not a book I shoved back on my shelf to forget it I do recommend it :)
My Lord Conqueror is a book I’ve read a few times. It’s a run of the mill Norman invasion where the hero (Merrick) is a Norman lord who’s conquered some Saxon stronghold, and in this case, the heroine (Alana) is the bastard daughter of the keep’s former lord. It has all the earmarks of this type of romance — an unwilling heroine and a patient hero. She has visions and from the beginning of the book, she has a vision of Merrick standing over her with a sword as if he’s going to kill her. Since her visions usually come true, obviously this causes some anxiety on her part.
The story is tried and true, but no less fun to read. There’s a lot going on aside from the main romance (Alana’s legitimate half-sister, a few odd murders and occurrences, a very minor secondary romance and more invasions) but I never felt like they distracted me from the main romance, which despite the predictability, still flowed and seemed believable. By the inevitable declaring of one’s love, I did feel that the characters had earned that and felt it, which is nice.
For the first read through, I enjoyed the book. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it didn’t feel like I’d wasted my time reading it, which I think really determines a book’s value.
It’s a book I put on my shelf and take down time to time when I’m in the mood to read a romance but I don’t want to have to concentrate on something I haven’t read yet. However, by the third read through, a few things do tend to jump out. Merrick calls Alana ‘Saxon’ no less than six times in the span of two pages and while you don’t notice it right away, once you notice it, you can’t stop. Which means I’ve probably ruined it for a few people, lol.
It’s not on the level of a Elizabeth Hoyt or Tessa Dare read for me, but it’s also not a book I shoved back on my shelf to forget it I do recommend it :)
September 29, 2014
Long before everyone would freak out because of an “alpha male” or would choose to read a book because it said “alpha male” on the cover, there was the concept of the conqueror (so we freaked out because it said “conqueror” on the book cover). And to be honest, they were far more cooler than the alpha male is today ;)
The official synopsis: The wild and tempestuous peasant daughter of a slain Saxon lord, Alana of Brynwald bravely resists the brutal Norman invaders—but fears the mysterious specter who invades her dreams. Now he stands before her, Merrick of Normandy—it’s he who is lord and she the captive. But Merrick cannot claim victory until she shares his passion—and his love.
Yes this such a typical 90s synopsis but whereas the synopsis is cheesy and the cover hideous, the book is a real gem. There is Merrick the conqueror that is actually a “fair” conqueror. Well, as fair as it can get when you are invading another country. He now is the new lord of the castle and falls hard for Alana. She is a Saxon girl who is rather overwhelmed (to put it mildly) by his attentions in the beginning. So he sets out to conquer her too.
Why this whole conquering business works in this book and does not have a bitter taste to it as so many others is because Merrick is a decent character. Sure he can be really stubborn but although he is rough on the outside in the inside he is a sweet, caring, honest man who is not afraid to admit if he did something wrong (which men rarely do). She is a sweet girl and whereas with some heroines their anxiety is not understandable with her it is. Samantha James did a good job portraying both POVs.
This is a beautiful beautiful beautiful warm and sweet love story. Those two together awww it melts the heart. Totally recommended!
(Originally published with booked away )
The official synopsis: The wild and tempestuous peasant daughter of a slain Saxon lord, Alana of Brynwald bravely resists the brutal Norman invaders—but fears the mysterious specter who invades her dreams. Now he stands before her, Merrick of Normandy—it’s he who is lord and she the captive. But Merrick cannot claim victory until she shares his passion—and his love.
Yes this such a typical 90s synopsis but whereas the synopsis is cheesy and the cover hideous, the book is a real gem. There is Merrick the conqueror that is actually a “fair” conqueror. Well, as fair as it can get when you are invading another country. He now is the new lord of the castle and falls hard for Alana. She is a Saxon girl who is rather overwhelmed (to put it mildly) by his attentions in the beginning. So he sets out to conquer her too.
Why this whole conquering business works in this book and does not have a bitter taste to it as so many others is because Merrick is a decent character. Sure he can be really stubborn but although he is rough on the outside in the inside he is a sweet, caring, honest man who is not afraid to admit if he did something wrong (which men rarely do). She is a sweet girl and whereas with some heroines their anxiety is not understandable with her it is. Samantha James did a good job portraying both POVs.
This is a beautiful beautiful beautiful warm and sweet love story. Those two together awww it melts the heart. Totally recommended!
(Originally published with booked away )
January 15, 2012
Its difficult to find great medieval romances and I was pleasantly surprised that Samantha James (whose historical are to die for) has aced it again in this setting. This book is definately going on my fav book shelf! The setting, the characters and storyline was outstanding. This book was a great companion during my vacations as it kept me hooked from page one. The heroine is passionate, fiesty, proud battling conflicting emotions that form the central storyline. Throw in a hardened noble warrior with a kind heart and you have a great story!I have already ordered more of her medieval romances.
September 5, 2016
Enjoyed this medieval novel, alternately titled Saxon V Norman: The conqueror becomes conquered.
Read if you like:
witch accusations
angry, muscle-bound hero
bastard heroine who cries A LOT
jealousy
insults and fights between hero and heroine
sweet love scenes
action
great writing
sweet ending...
"I will love you forever.." So he said..and so it was. "
Read if you like:
witch accusations
angry, muscle-bound hero
bastard heroine who cries A LOT
jealousy
insults and fights between hero and heroine
sweet love scenes
action
great writing
sweet ending...
"I will love you forever.." So he said..and so it was. "
December 1, 2018
It's a let down. He's a conqueror who doesn't bother to conquer her. He's a thoughtful conqueror? How boring. Oh, and she's so lame and spineless. Ick.
February 24, 2022
2.5stars
My curiosity got me this time and made me finished this book.
But actually, I wanted to drop this right away. I decided to finish it as I'm curious how the MC's will have the happy ending with great animosity, angry banters and a weak plot. And at the end I'm not satisfied at all.
Merick a Norman conquered a land where Alana the heroine is residing , She's a bastard of the Lord who ruled the land , a Saxon Land. So Merrick upon seeing Alana's beauty took her to the castle and eventually made her his mistress. They fight a lot and throw hurtful words to each other and so on.
With so many trust issues and enemies within their own people I don't think it progressed well.
My curiosity got me this time and made me finished this book.
But actually, I wanted to drop this right away. I decided to finish it as I'm curious how the MC's will have the happy ending with great animosity, angry banters and a weak plot. And at the end I'm not satisfied at all.
Merick a Norman conquered a land where Alana the heroine is residing , She's a bastard of the Lord who ruled the land , a Saxon Land. So Merrick upon seeing Alana's beauty took her to the castle and eventually made her his mistress. They fight a lot and throw hurtful words to each other and so on.
With so many trust issues and enemies within their own people I don't think it progressed well.
December 22, 2020
Maybe 2.5 stars i have mixed feelings about this 🙄
September 23, 2021
DNF @ 45%
The story is exciting. There is a warrior who conquered a castle and found a beautiful peasant girl in there. He was basically trying to woo her the whole time. A good old medieval noval was just what I was looking for, and I was so prepared to love it. However, both the storytelling and characters were not appealing to me.
Alana was so stupid, I wanted to cry or strangle her. She did nothing but cry, shout, curse, shriek and stupidly help Sybil -who hated her and did everything in her power to make her miserable. I hated that the main characters called each other Norman and Saxon, like a thousand times in one conversation. And you know what, I wanted Merrick to be harsher with her. Whatever she did, whatever she said, he never ever done anything to harm her, just promised that he will, but never did. Therefore the same things repeated itself, there were no progress between them. I actually could not find and redeming qualities in her that justifies Merrick's attraction to her except her beauty. The chemistry between them were nonexistent, maybe because I was not in the mood to feel.
The story is exciting. There is a warrior who conquered a castle and found a beautiful peasant girl in there. He was basically trying to woo her the whole time. A good old medieval noval was just what I was looking for, and I was so prepared to love it. However, both the storytelling and characters were not appealing to me.
Alana was so stupid, I wanted to cry or strangle her. She did nothing but cry, shout, curse, shriek and stupidly help Sybil -who hated her and did everything in her power to make her miserable. I hated that the main characters called each other Norman and Saxon, like a thousand times in one conversation. And you know what, I wanted Merrick to be harsher with her. Whatever she did, whatever she said, he never ever done anything to harm her, just promised that he will, but never did. Therefore the same things repeated itself, there were no progress between them. I actually could not find and redeming qualities in her that justifies Merrick's attraction to her except her beauty. The chemistry between them were nonexistent, maybe because I was not in the mood to feel.
July 22, 2018
I love this book! The heroine was my favorite character. She did not melt right away when the hero kisses her like in other books. It actually took time for their relationship to develop. I also liked how she provoked the hero so many times. The only thing I would have liked to see is the hero showing more of his love to her because he doubted her at the end when you would their love relationship to be the strongest at the end. The hero was very possessive, but at times, he could be sooooo blind (obviously she does not want her child to be a bastard like herself so marry her). Like without his sister, his love relationship would have not been as strong. I do like how he got jealous when the heroine was around other males. It showed that his feelings were growing for her, although he did not want to admit that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2020
2.5 stars.
I didn't like this book as much as I loved the other book I've read by Samantha James His Wicked Ways but it was OK.
I actually liked Genevieve, Merrick's sister, much more than I liked Alana. Alana could be annoyingly innocent and at the start she was cringing me out with her attempts at 'fighting back'.
I liked Merrick but I just couldn't connect to him or Alana enough for me to really get behind their romance.
The book was quite repetitive in some areas i.e. every time Alana went to the village she was attacked by someone or ran into trouble.
The ending was a bit fast for me and the whole thing with Sybil/Raoul was a bit OTT.
I didn't like this book as much as I loved the other book I've read by Samantha James His Wicked Ways but it was OK.
I actually liked Genevieve, Merrick's sister, much more than I liked Alana. Alana could be annoyingly innocent and at the start she was cringing me out with her attempts at 'fighting back'.
I liked Merrick but I just couldn't connect to him or Alana enough for me to really get behind their romance.
The book was quite repetitive in some areas i.e. every time Alana went to the village she was attacked by someone or ran into trouble.
The ending was a bit fast for me and the whole thing with Sybil/Raoul was a bit OTT.
June 11, 2012
I read this book for the first time, about 15 years ago. I find myself going back to it every few years. Yes, it's cheesy. Yes, if you're a feminist, you're gonna go BALLISTIC! But I seem to enjoy the love story. Call me crazy.
February 10, 2025
Desperate and boring 2 stars:
Alana is a peasant, the bastard daughter of the lord of her village. She is an orphan of her mother and everyone in the village rumors that she is a witch because she has premonition dreams, so she is not very appreciated by her neighbors. Everything gets worse when the Normans invade England and take power. Her father dies in battle and the village is under the control of the Norman lord Merrik. Alana hates the Normans and when she runs into them in the forest she does not hesitate to insult them. They almost rape her but Merrik saves her, although he decides to make her his lover, although of course the relationship evolves into true love....
I don't know if my expectations were high, considering that I have liked this author on other occasions such as "perfect bride" which became one of my favorite books, or if I have already read many novels from this period, but this novel has really disappointed me. First the plot has nothing new, it's basically some kind of medieval Cinderella porn, and that's not new either but it's very boring, Alana is perfect, she's good, smart, beautiful, with a great body, brave and clairvoyant 😐 YES, because the authors believe that there was nothing cooler and sexier than a woman with powers in the MIDDLE AGE!!! Well the point is that Alana as a heroine has nothing that makes her stand out nor is she nice, everything about her is great and perfect and all the men want her, and the important nobles want her as a friend. Merrik is not a great hero either, in fact I feel like he's an incomplete character, we don't know anything about him, and although he's a little more credible than Alana, in the sense that he acts rude, bossy, and aggressive (like knights were in their time) I didn't find him attractive in any way.
The "love story" is desperate and boring to death... There is really nothing between the protagonists and with that I mean that 5% of the book they see and desire each other, from there you have 95% of them playing cat and mouse, they fight over pure nonsense, and their dynamic makes no sense, seriously Alana has nothing, she has no family, no money, no inheritance, no way to earn a living, NOTHING, but even so she behaves like a woman of the 21st century with two university degrees, I understand that heroines are independent but Alana really couldn't be, she rejects Merrik really senselessly, any other woman in her circumstances in her time would have behaved more docile, and I'm not saying that it's right that he forces her to be his lover but that's how it was in that time, on the other hand this heroine, insults, fights, runs away, why? What is her plan? ?😓 Running away to the forest and living off wild fruits? is absurd.... 😩 And Merrik's attitude, what the hell? He spends his time BEGGING Alana😢 seeking her approval, seeking to please her, chasing her, FRIEND, YOU ARE A NORMAN LORD!!! A CONQUEROR!!! OWNER OF THE CASTLE!!! Not in a million years would a man in those circumstances have behaved the way Merrik does in the book. Also, 100% of their "problems" as a couple would be solved if they talked for 5 minutes, but instead of talking, they yell at each other ALL THE TIME, and they insult each other. The worst thing is that they always use the same insults, so besides there being no romance, their relationship is boring..... 😴 The passion is decent but it comes across strangely in the story, they attack each other but only make up to sleep with each other!!! ??
Now the rest of what happens in the story, it couldn't be more predictable, from the beginning we know who the bad guys are, rather I found it hard to believe that Alana and Merrik took the whole book to describe it, the villains are the same as the protagonists, ILLOGICAL, they have no reason to be bad, and their actions are clumsy, basically they throw away their privileges, their lives and their futures just because it bothers them that Alana and Merrik are happy 🙉WTF with those villains really......
I have nothing else to add, the writing is good, but it's not really an entertaining read, it took me weeks to finish it and in the end I can only say that I don't even know where Alana and Merrik's love came from....
Alana is a peasant, the bastard daughter of the lord of her village. She is an orphan of her mother and everyone in the village rumors that she is a witch because she has premonition dreams, so she is not very appreciated by her neighbors. Everything gets worse when the Normans invade England and take power. Her father dies in battle and the village is under the control of the Norman lord Merrik. Alana hates the Normans and when she runs into them in the forest she does not hesitate to insult them. They almost rape her but Merrik saves her, although he decides to make her his lover, although of course the relationship evolves into true love....
I don't know if my expectations were high, considering that I have liked this author on other occasions such as "perfect bride" which became one of my favorite books, or if I have already read many novels from this period, but this novel has really disappointed me. First the plot has nothing new, it's basically some kind of medieval Cinderella porn, and that's not new either but it's very boring, Alana is perfect, she's good, smart, beautiful, with a great body, brave and clairvoyant 😐 YES, because the authors believe that there was nothing cooler and sexier than a woman with powers in the MIDDLE AGE!!! Well the point is that Alana as a heroine has nothing that makes her stand out nor is she nice, everything about her is great and perfect and all the men want her, and the important nobles want her as a friend. Merrik is not a great hero either, in fact I feel like he's an incomplete character, we don't know anything about him, and although he's a little more credible than Alana, in the sense that he acts rude, bossy, and aggressive (like knights were in their time) I didn't find him attractive in any way.
The "love story" is desperate and boring to death... There is really nothing between the protagonists and with that I mean that 5% of the book they see and desire each other, from there you have 95% of them playing cat and mouse, they fight over pure nonsense, and their dynamic makes no sense, seriously Alana has nothing, she has no family, no money, no inheritance, no way to earn a living, NOTHING, but even so she behaves like a woman of the 21st century with two university degrees, I understand that heroines are independent but Alana really couldn't be, she rejects Merrik really senselessly, any other woman in her circumstances in her time would have behaved more docile, and I'm not saying that it's right that he forces her to be his lover but that's how it was in that time, on the other hand this heroine, insults, fights, runs away, why? What is her plan? ?😓 Running away to the forest and living off wild fruits? is absurd.... 😩 And Merrik's attitude, what the hell? He spends his time BEGGING Alana😢 seeking her approval, seeking to please her, chasing her, FRIEND, YOU ARE A NORMAN LORD!!! A CONQUEROR!!! OWNER OF THE CASTLE!!! Not in a million years would a man in those circumstances have behaved the way Merrik does in the book. Also, 100% of their "problems" as a couple would be solved if they talked for 5 minutes, but instead of talking, they yell at each other ALL THE TIME, and they insult each other. The worst thing is that they always use the same insults, so besides there being no romance, their relationship is boring..... 😴 The passion is decent but it comes across strangely in the story, they attack each other but only make up to sleep with each other!!! ??
Now the rest of what happens in the story, it couldn't be more predictable, from the beginning we know who the bad guys are, rather I found it hard to believe that Alana and Merrik took the whole book to describe it, the villains are the same as the protagonists, ILLOGICAL, they have no reason to be bad, and their actions are clumsy, basically they throw away their privileges, their lives and their futures just because it bothers them that Alana and Merrik are happy 🙉WTF with those villains really......
I have nothing else to add, the writing is good, but it's not really an entertaining read, it took me weeks to finish it and in the end I can only say that I don't even know where Alana and Merrik's love came from....
November 14, 2023
Hmm, this was a tough one to rate. 3 might be too high, 2 felt too low. Today feels like maybe a day where I hold it to a higher standard and go with 2 stars. I know what I'm getting into with 1066, and there are others that do it better. I'm hoping Samantha James has others I will like more.
Why so low?
This book is a relationship story and that is all. Unfortunately, the actual relationship is not very thorough in its development. Merrick and Alana (although I'm pretty sure they just refer to each other by Norman and Saxon far more often) spend most of their interactions in his chamber. The setting adds no depth, the characters don't actually do much or grow, and the ending is lackluster.
The 90's as a decade of literary masterpieces is on full display here, as no fewer than 5 times does the h physically feel the peen fountain:
1. "His seed spilled hot and thick at the gate to her womb."
2. ". . .he exploded within her, scalding her with his seed."
3. "The scalding heat of his seed erupted inside her, again and again. . ."
4. "She felt the heat of his seed burst within her, again and again."
5. "Feeling his seed throb and burst within her. . ."
With all that seed, no surprises here that there was a pregnancy trope.
Alana is an independent and capable woman. . .or so we are lead to believe until she is taken to the keep. We are explicitly told she is skilled with a bow and yet that never comes up again. And after the first encounter she is never again in a position to defend herself, instead requiring intervention in all things. The author felt the need to throw in some witchy content in the form of ominous dreams and a cat familiar. Why she didn't just stick to the stuff that the modern world can explain away, we may never know.
Merrick is the broody, possessive, mercurial hero who has zero trust in the heroine and who is ruled by his 'passions' aka mood swings. He seems to always be in the right place to overhear or witness all of the following: seemingly damning but actually entirely faultless exchanges the h has with any other characters, witch accusations, other men stepping on his turf.
The villain is flat and 1-dimensional. It was also obvious and the MCs were naive about the whole thing.
Published in the 90's and surprisingly this does not have any straight up R. If you zoom out far enough, the entire thing is essentially CNC because of the Saxon/Norman dynamic, but it didn't necessarily feel that way in most scenes and he gives her what I would consider (for the time) lots of time to adjust to her new circumstances.
Why so low?
This book is a relationship story and that is all. Unfortunately, the actual relationship is not very thorough in its development. Merrick and Alana (although I'm pretty sure they just refer to each other by Norman and Saxon far more often) spend most of their interactions in his chamber. The setting adds no depth, the characters don't actually do much or grow, and the ending is lackluster.
The 90's as a decade of literary masterpieces is on full display here, as no fewer than 5 times does the h physically feel the peen fountain:
1. "His seed spilled hot and thick at the gate to her womb."
2. ". . .he exploded within her, scalding her with his seed."
3. "The scalding heat of his seed erupted inside her, again and again. . ."
4. "She felt the heat of his seed burst within her, again and again."
5. "Feeling his seed throb and burst within her. . ."
With all that seed, no surprises here that there was a pregnancy trope.
Alana is an independent and capable woman. . .or so we are lead to believe until she is taken to the keep. We are explicitly told she is skilled with a bow and yet that never comes up again. And after the first encounter she is never again in a position to defend herself, instead requiring intervention in all things. The author felt the need to throw in some witchy content in the form of ominous dreams and a cat familiar. Why she didn't just stick to the stuff that the modern world can explain away, we may never know.
Merrick is the broody, possessive, mercurial hero who has zero trust in the heroine and who is ruled by his 'passions' aka mood swings. He seems to always be in the right place to overhear or witness all of the following: seemingly damning but actually entirely faultless exchanges the h has with any other characters, witch accusations, other men stepping on his turf.
The villain is flat and 1-dimensional. It was also obvious and the MCs were naive about the whole thing.
Published in the 90's and surprisingly this does not have any straight up R. If you zoom out far enough, the entire thing is essentially CNC because of the Saxon/Norman dynamic, but it didn't necessarily feel that way in most scenes and he gives her what I would consider (for the time) lots of time to adjust to her new circumstances.
January 3, 2025
Though I was iffy about the first half I wholeheartedly believe the second half of the book saved it. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I did happen to enjoy the book; however, I felt very conflicted throughout considering the things in the book are not what I would usually read.
Merrick is kind of a yellow flag I’d say. He was walking the tightrope of being forceful and toxic, yet there were places he was so protective that I was unsure whether to like his character or not. Alana was an amazing character and her development was nice. It was saddening to see her care about all those around her while they scorned her. Though I usually am not for the trends that allow the main character to go through everything and then forgive everyone, she did become lady of Brynwald and they all were answerable to her. Her half-sister and Raoul, the major troublemakers were both slain and to be honest it was deserved with all the chaos they caused.
Another piece I enjoyed was the dreams. I wish more would’ve been shown about that, but I love the final realization by Alana that her recurring dream of Merrick was not entirely as terrible as she assumed.
And my favorite of all is Cedric the cat who was loyal and of his own mind until the end. What a lovely cat. I love seeing medieval romances include the cats; it’s quite a nice touch.
This was bordering three stars until I stayed up to finish it and for the ending. It’s hard to rate low if I’m finishing the book in one day. I still am unsure though as Merrick was not as much of a green flag at first, but also he doubted her and they both struggled to trust each other. But then again, that was all due to the Norman and Saxon rivalry, which was wonderful to see them fight alongside against the Danes.
Admittedly, Merrick was a bit more forceful than I’d deem acceptable, but perhaps he made up for it in other ways. I love it and hate it at the same time. I was so hooked and invested though that I do find it at least entertaining.
Overall, not the worst read. It could’ve been better though. I still happened to like it and don’t regret reading it.
Merrick is kind of a yellow flag I’d say. He was walking the tightrope of being forceful and toxic, yet there were places he was so protective that I was unsure whether to like his character or not. Alana was an amazing character and her development was nice. It was saddening to see her care about all those around her while they scorned her. Though I usually am not for the trends that allow the main character to go through everything and then forgive everyone, she did become lady of Brynwald and they all were answerable to her. Her half-sister and Raoul, the major troublemakers were both slain and to be honest it was deserved with all the chaos they caused.
Another piece I enjoyed was the dreams. I wish more would’ve been shown about that, but I love the final realization by Alana that her recurring dream of Merrick was not entirely as terrible as she assumed.
And my favorite of all is Cedric the cat who was loyal and of his own mind until the end. What a lovely cat. I love seeing medieval romances include the cats; it’s quite a nice touch.
This was bordering three stars until I stayed up to finish it and for the ending. It’s hard to rate low if I’m finishing the book in one day. I still am unsure though as Merrick was not as much of a green flag at first, but also he doubted her and they both struggled to trust each other. But then again, that was all due to the Norman and Saxon rivalry, which was wonderful to see them fight alongside against the Danes.
Admittedly, Merrick was a bit more forceful than I’d deem acceptable, but perhaps he made up for it in other ways. I love it and hate it at the same time. I was so hooked and invested though that I do find it at least entertaining.
Overall, not the worst read. It could’ve been better though. I still happened to like it and don’t regret reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2023
I really liked this one! The Normans conquered England and the Saxons were then subjugated. Alana was the illegitimate daughter of the lord of the keep Brynwald, but he was slain by the Normans as he defended his land. Alana only had an elderly man for company as her mother had also died. The villagers feared her because she had dreams that were like prophecies and they branded her a witch. The Saxons were forbidden from leaving their homes, but Alana had to go out and hunt for game as their supplies were dwindling.
On her outing, she encountered Merrick, the Norman who now held Brynwald and his leering men. Being beautiful, she was propositioned by the men, but Merrick put a stop to that. She recognized Merrick from a dream in which he rode on his horse and had his sword raised high to her. So, Alana instantly feared him. But having found her becoming, he took her captive back to his keep.
Alana was obstinate at every turn, even though she melted under the Norman's kisses. She refused to give her body to him and he vowed not to take her by force. So much of the book, they are sparring verbally and kissing each other witless. Alana had a difficult time having to follow all of Merrick's commands, but he reminded her frequently that she had to obey because he was "her lord and conqueror". I quite liked that part lol
There are some subplots with Alana's hateful half-sister and one of Merrick's lascivious men who would not leave her alone. I liked Merrick's sister, Genevieve who was basically Alana's only friend. Thankfully, she did not bother listening to village gossip about her being the devil's spawn. I really liked how Merrick slowly realized how he felt about Alana and was willing to do anything for her. He was such a strong, possessive man and those are my favorite!
On her outing, she encountered Merrick, the Norman who now held Brynwald and his leering men. Being beautiful, she was propositioned by the men, but Merrick put a stop to that. She recognized Merrick from a dream in which he rode on his horse and had his sword raised high to her. So, Alana instantly feared him. But having found her becoming, he took her captive back to his keep.
Alana was obstinate at every turn, even though she melted under the Norman's kisses. She refused to give her body to him and he vowed not to take her by force. So much of the book, they are sparring verbally and kissing each other witless. Alana had a difficult time having to follow all of Merrick's commands, but he reminded her frequently that she had to obey because he was "her lord and conqueror". I quite liked that part lol
There are some subplots with Alana's hateful half-sister and one of Merrick's lascivious men who would not leave her alone. I liked Merrick's sister, Genevieve who was basically Alana's only friend. Thankfully, she did not bother listening to village gossip about her being the devil's spawn. I really liked how Merrick slowly realized how he felt about Alana and was willing to do anything for her. He was such a strong, possessive man and those are my favorite!
July 6, 2023
"My Lord Conqueror" by Samantha James is an enchanting historical romance that transports readers to a world of intense passion, captivating characters, and the collision of two cultures.
At the heart of this tale are the hero, Merrick, and the heroine, Alana. Their tumultuous journey is marked by the clash of their Norman and Saxon backgrounds. This story portrays the cultural divide and weaves it into a tapestry of intense romance.
Merrick, the Norman hero, is a captivating character with a commanding presence and a complex past. His strength, determination, and undeniable magnetism make him an irresistible force, and you can't help but fall under his spell.
Alana, the Saxon heroine, is a spirited and resilient woman who refuses to yield to her conqueror Merrick. Her loyalty to her people and her unwavering spirit make her a worthy counterpart to Merrick. Their interactions are a dance of fiery clashes and tender moments, as they both fight their own battles and find solace in each other's arms.
The intense romance between Merrick and Alana draws you into a whirlwind of passion, desire, and conflicting loyalties. The emotional depth of their connection is palpable, and their journey to overcome the barriers between them is filled with both heart-wrenching obstacles and breathtaking moments of tenderness.
"My Lord Conqueror" is a compelling historical romance. The intense chemistry between Merrick and Alana, the clash of cultures, and the emotional depth of their love story make this book a captivating read. If you're a fan of passionate and emotionally charged romances set against a rich historical backdrop, this novel is a must-read that will transport you to a world of love, conflict, and undeniable desire!
At the heart of this tale are the hero, Merrick, and the heroine, Alana. Their tumultuous journey is marked by the clash of their Norman and Saxon backgrounds. This story portrays the cultural divide and weaves it into a tapestry of intense romance.
Merrick, the Norman hero, is a captivating character with a commanding presence and a complex past. His strength, determination, and undeniable magnetism make him an irresistible force, and you can't help but fall under his spell.
Alana, the Saxon heroine, is a spirited and resilient woman who refuses to yield to her conqueror Merrick. Her loyalty to her people and her unwavering spirit make her a worthy counterpart to Merrick. Their interactions are a dance of fiery clashes and tender moments, as they both fight their own battles and find solace in each other's arms.
The intense romance between Merrick and Alana draws you into a whirlwind of passion, desire, and conflicting loyalties. The emotional depth of their connection is palpable, and their journey to overcome the barriers between them is filled with both heart-wrenching obstacles and breathtaking moments of tenderness.
"My Lord Conqueror" is a compelling historical romance. The intense chemistry between Merrick and Alana, the clash of cultures, and the emotional depth of their love story make this book a captivating read. If you're a fan of passionate and emotionally charged romances set against a rich historical backdrop, this novel is a must-read that will transport you to a world of love, conflict, and undeniable desire!
November 23, 2024
My god, I carry this curse that prevents me from DNF-ing a book that I paid for. Both of these main characters were just...unlikable. merrick was thick headed and just MEAN for no reason. Like you'll marry someone but fail utterly to tell them how you feel about them? Just manhandle some tiny woman all the time and say the meanest shit to her? Alana could have said a few things herself and stopped acting like an idiot right up until the end of the book. I don't even understand Sybil's motivations here, she could have leveraged her relation to Alana to make an advantageous marriage elsewhere but of course not, because nobody in this book was ever a reasonable person for a single moment. No for sure it's better to mutilate animals and murder a priest. Definitely a more solid plan than just playing politics like she would have watched the nobility all around her do for her entire life. "I hate you because you were father's favourite!" Bitch he let his so called favourite live in a hovel with rags for clothing for her ENTIRE life, he couldn't have liked her that much.
I mean, I realize this is just a bodice ripper, and your standard fare for this sort of thing, but I've been making my way through a few historical romances the past while, and I think that because my last couple of reads didn't take themselves very seriously and were actually downright hilarious in a number of parts, that perhaps my expectations are just too high right now.
I mean, I realize this is just a bodice ripper, and your standard fare for this sort of thing, but I've been making my way through a few historical romances the past while, and I think that because my last couple of reads didn't take themselves very seriously and were actually downright hilarious in a number of parts, that perhaps my expectations are just too high right now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2025
Tried reading this before, couldn’t finish it.
Tried it again… still couldn’t finish it.
There is just something so cheesy and generic with this enemies-to-lovers trope we have here despite that the writing is not too bad and the scenes and background are true to the medieval period.
It’s the characters themselves that aren’t believable for this era. They were enemies, but we really couldn’t feel it— from the beginning, it’s just some sort of foreplay that goes on and on with an underlaying physical attraction between the two every time. Oh she is so pretty and beautiful, so I guess she can get away every time she insults him. And her, being brainless— no plan at all whatsoever just a chihuahua baring her teeth to the Norman bastards. She is just lucky she is pretty or else she would have been done away a long time ago. It is too wattpady and modern.
The heroine repeatedly yaps and yells and yaps and yells with no particular goal but to enrage the “Norman Conquerer”. There is not hint of intelligence, cunning or wit in her to plan out actions that could lead her to survive and thrive despite being a bastard daughter of the medieval era. She just gets lucky every time cause of plot armor and because the hero finds her pretty.
There is no sense of danger about it at all and thus why this is so boring.
Or this is just me comparing every Medieval heroine to Maria from Great Maria by Cececlia Holland 🥲
Tried it again… still couldn’t finish it.
There is just something so cheesy and generic with this enemies-to-lovers trope we have here despite that the writing is not too bad and the scenes and background are true to the medieval period.
It’s the characters themselves that aren’t believable for this era. They were enemies, but we really couldn’t feel it— from the beginning, it’s just some sort of foreplay that goes on and on with an underlaying physical attraction between the two every time. Oh she is so pretty and beautiful, so I guess she can get away every time she insults him. And her, being brainless— no plan at all whatsoever just a chihuahua baring her teeth to the Norman bastards. She is just lucky she is pretty or else she would have been done away a long time ago. It is too wattpady and modern.
The heroine repeatedly yaps and yells and yaps and yells with no particular goal but to enrage the “Norman Conquerer”. There is not hint of intelligence, cunning or wit in her to plan out actions that could lead her to survive and thrive despite being a bastard daughter of the medieval era. She just gets lucky every time cause of plot armor and because the hero finds her pretty.
There is no sense of danger about it at all and thus why this is so boring.
Or this is just me comparing every Medieval heroine to Maria from Great Maria by Cececlia Holland 🥲
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