You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
This HaBO request is from Bonessasan, who wants to find this historical romance:
I actually remember a lot about this book, just no names (author, character, or places). It’s a historical romance set in England, possibly around the time of William the conqueror.
The opening scene has two warrior brothers (Norman? Definitely from what is now France) who have just gotten out of battle and go to the house of a red-headed Saxon woman known to be a whore. While one brother goes up in the loft with the woman, other falls asleep until a Saxon man bursts in and demands the woman’s services. The is a fight and the hero punches the man, accidentally killing him and the woman runs out of the house into a storm only to be struck by lightning.
The hero and his brother then go on to the hero’s promised demesne, where the hero marries the lady to secure his claim and to merge the invaders with the conquered in that area. Ultimately, it turns out the Saxon man that died was the lady’s first husband.
Also, the are pins that the brothers have that display their family crest. The hero throws his in a river because it identifies him as the first husband’s killer, but it’s found and a Jewish jeweler/goldsmith helps the heroine identify the region of where it was made.
This is the first book in a series. The hero had dark hair, possibly dark eyes and the heroine is blonde, I think with green eyes. There is a set of blonde identical twins that have a relationship with the hero’s brother, who was injured when the brothers were heading to claim the hero’s new demesne. Help?
Wow, this is something.
Secret Thunder
by Patricia Ryan
Add To: Goodreads to-read list →
This book is available from:
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!
…..uhhhmmmmm… I have no idea what book it is, but it sounds bonkers. I went, wait, What? At least three times reading the post.
“Only to be struck by lightning.”
I turned no fewer than three heads by laughing ridiculously loud at that line.
I mean, it sounds like Virginia Henley crazysauce, but I have no idea.
I have definitely read this book. I think it was published after 2000. I’m going to have to think on this. It is not a book that is easily forgotten.
Patricia Ryan’s Secret Thunder?
Finally! I‘ve read this one – it‘s Secret Thunder by Patricia Ryan. And if I remember correctly it was rather captivating, even if this description indeed sounds like crazysauce.
@Magenta: You’re right! The requester confirmed it’s Secret Thunder.