The Barnes & Noble Review
Readers who loved Catherine Coulter's Song Quartet (Warrior's Song, Fire Song, Earth Song, and Secret Song) and Rosehaven will welcome the chance to revisit some old friends in The Penwyth Curse. This magical medieval romance takes us to the enchanted corner of Cornwall that is Penwyth -- lands said to be protected by a curse fashioned at the beginning of time by Druids, then strengthened by powerful witches. The Penwyth Curse now guards the noble de Gay family, their keep, their people, and especially the Penwyth heiress. In this generation, that heiress is lovely Merryn de Gay. Though Penwyth is a small holding, it has great strategic importance. In the four years since the death of the lord's heir, more than one greedy warrior has tried to secure his claim by marrying the elderly lord's granddaughter. But, though Merryn has been wed four times since she was 14, she's yet a virgin -- each unwelcome bridegroom felled by the Penwyth Curse. Then King Edward orders the handsome young knight Sir Bishop of Lythe to marry Merryn de Gay, to secure strategic Penwyth and put an end to talk of curses. Though he's eager for land and filled with desire for beautiful Merryn, Bishop has no intention of dying for either. Instead, Bishop claims a wizard's command over otherworldly powers...and, in a mystical land apart from time, strange weavings of fate reveal the secrets of the destiny that binds Merryn and Bishop together. Sue Stone