Elizabeth Chadwick - The Running Vixen

In 1126, the Welsh Marches are a land darkened by strife, where nothing is safe; not even a young woman's heart ....
Adam de Lacey has returned home to Ravenstow after a royal mission, and the newly widowed Heulwen finds that her passion still burns for the king's warrior. But, betrayed by her first husband, Heulwen now plans a marriage ofexpedience to Warrin de Mortimer, Adam's lifelong foe and rival. Adam conquers Heulwen's senses in a single blazing night, and the flame-haired beauty's fate is sealed. But a treacherous conspiracy and the Welsh border wars plunge them headlong into a fight that will determine the future of their passion.

Comment: This is the sequel to the previous book I've read by the author, The Wild Hunt.

In this story we see Adam and Heulwen already adults and with lives of their own. Adam is a recognized fighter ad messenger and he saw the love of his life marrying someone else. But now she's a widow and he starts to think he should not let her get away again.

Heulwen married because she thought it would be forever but her husband wasn't the most faithful of men and she didn't mourn his death as much as one might think. Now she set her eyes on someone else, only because her father is still an important men and marriage to her would be key to secure a connection to the king. But she never stopped thinking about Adam and only thoughts of growing up with him stop her to make a move.

However, something puts them together and when they finally take the step to be intimate, they're caught and it changes things.

I think the biggest strength of this author's writing is the obvious deep research she's done to make her books as realistic as possible. Although the story itself is fiction, she surrounded it with real historical figures, places and costumes. I have to confess I don't usually like these kind of books, I prefer my fiction completely fictional, instead of based on real facts. But the author does such a great work it's impossible not to enjoy the developing of the story even when the story isn't our favorite. 

Comparing this one to the one I've read before, I preferred th other one because of the type of plot. In there the romance was more fun to watch and this one was more predictable. I understand why and it's realistic enough to respect the costumes, but it wasn't as vivid as the other one.

The book ended up well, although a certain plot twist was a bit too much, or should I say, it wasn't done in a way I expected to it didn't suit the feel of the story...even though it ended up alright.

This is an author I'll keep reading, the political intrigues don't usually fascinate me but by this author I can't help but be curious and for this fact alone the author convinced me.