The Crusader's Kiss

So much better than Volume 2. A new story with old friends. Colorful characters, wicked villains, and romance to spare. Delightful reading!

Young Bartholomew, who recently earned his spurs and was a squire at the beginning of the Champions of Saint Euphemia series, has learned honor at the feet of brave and righteous Templar knights. He fought in Jerusalem and was a man at arms in all but name. He was utterly devoted to Gaston, the French hero from book one. So I was very, very surprised when Bartholomew's story took us to northern England with a variation of the Robin Hood and Maid Marian tale. It was an exciting, new twist to a familiar story, where the outlaw in the wood's is this story's heroine, and her name is Anna.The Grand Master of the Templars has decided that the reliquary the Champions have been protecting should be housed in Scotland, so Bartholomew asks them to take a path that will skirt the land where he was born and where he was divested of his inheritance. Of course, woodland thief Anna and her brother encounter the knights resting around a campfire and decide to steal the fat saddlebag that they believe is stuffed with food. From there, an elaborate tale unravels that involves the loss and recovery of the reliquary. It passes through many hands, some righteous and some despicable. Claire Delacroix is very good at setting up nefarious and just characters in very few paragraphs. You really get a feel for good and bad in her books. Very few individuals tread the gray area in between, which lends a certain "story telling" or fable quality to the narrative.This is the third book in the series, and there are no cookie cutter characters. Each knight and damsel in distress is an original. They always have great backstories, but in this instance, the villains also get some page time as true characters. There is no mystery about who is looking for the saddlebag with the reliquary; it is too busy being stolen back and forth from one person to another.It is ironic that the very honorable Bartholomew finds himself in the company of thieves and assuming a "disguise" to recover the reliquary. Of course, the elaborate mummery is doomed to failure, but it was fun and exciting all the same. This period of the book sets up the romance between Anna and Bartholomew, and how they move from enemies to lovers is a good story that is well told. There is also some weightiness given to the dilemma of honor, and it is sobering how the pursuit of honor can lead men to suffer for their convictions. "I cannot let my desire dismiss my morality. There must be a way, and I pledge to you that I will spend all my days and nights endeavoring to find it, but villainy is not the solution."This series just keeps getting better. I never would have thought that dour, young Bartholomew would become one of my favorites of the Champions.

4.5 stars.Yet another excellent installment in this series!I have been looking forward to Bartholomew's story since the first book. He seemed much older and much more mature in this book than he did in the previous books. He has such a good heart and is really a wonderful hero. In fact he is so honorable that I found it almost impossible to believe that he would agree to do what he agreed to with Lady Marie - that he would even agree to it in the first place knocked my rating down by 1/2 a star.Anna is pretty much Bartholomew's complete opposite - yet in her own way is just as honorable and loyal as he is. She just doesn't hold to the law and vows the way he does. She has suffered greatly and has blamed herself for the troubles of others. She will do whatever necessary to improve the lives of those she loves.Bartholomew and Anna meet when she and her brother rob his traveling party - they steal the artifact that was brought back from the Temple in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, Anna's brother is captured and the artifact taken along with him, before Bartholomew can retrieve it. This begins the back and forth game of ARTIFACT, ARTIFACT who has the ARTIFACT (lol).During this time many secrets are discovered, for both Anna & Bartholomew. Love also blossoms, yet seems unattainable. Anna and Bartholomew work well together and thankfully after many twists and turns, finally get a very well deserved HEA.This book is the third in the series - but could very easily be a standalone title. I would highly recommend this book!

I accidentally read this book out of (release date) order, but this is my favorite Crusader book so far! Ms. Delacroix has a mesmerizing way of dropping the reader squarely into the Middle Ages, transporting you to a simpler yet harsher time in our history.I loved how the plot kept getting more and more complex, the goal harder and harder to achieve. I feared for the love between Bartholomew and Anna and fervently hoped for a miracle that would keep these two together when all the rules of their world kept them apart. Poignant scenes of fealty brought me to tears, not once, but twice.This full-length novel brings me back to other Delacroix novels, the setting rich and the words melodious.If you've never lost yourself in an historical romance novel, I strongly suggest you read this book.

Superbly written, engaging story of an unlikely heroine that captures your attention and your heart.The book takes during the Crusades. The heroine, Anna, a casualty of the war, must learn to adapt in the land of the Saracens.Her unlikely savior, a Knight Templar, needs something from her as well. The intrigue and plot twists keep you turning pages.The author weaves a remarkable tale full of imagery that transports the reader to a time I am overjoyed not to have lived through. The story itself is captivating and exciting. Claire Delacroix is a talented writer, who has kept me hooked throughout this entire series. It is a fabulous read!!!