The Marriage Bed

My furnace is now working. I'm also $400+ poorer. Sometimes I hate being a homeowner.

Claudia Dain's The Marriage Bed is a medieval romance that has been part of my to-be-read list for quite some time, and I finally decided to read it. I'm very glad I did.

Lady Isabel seeks sanctuary at an abbey after her father dies. As heir to three wealthy estates, Isabel realizes that she is a tempting target now that she has no man to protect her. She is betrothed to marry Lord Hubert, but she has always wished to marry Hubert's younger brother Richard, whom she knew in her youth. As a third son, however, Richard was not considered a good match for her, and now Richard is a novice at the abbey.

Fate intervenes in Isabel's and Richard's lives when they learn that Richard's two older brothers are dead and he is to fulfill the marriage contract. Although guilt-ridden over the fact that two men died to bring Isabel's desires to pass, she is elated by the idea of marrying the man she loves. Richard feels differently; he is committed to his life at the abbey and is bitter about leaving it behind.

What follows is a beautifully written story about two people who marry, then fall in love. One of the things I particularly enjoyed about The Marriage Bed is how medieval it seems. I'm no historian, but the depiction of the abbey, the estate at Dornei, the religious beliefs of the time, and the hardships faced in that period seem genuine. This was a brutal as well as a beautiful period in history, and Dain provides evidence of beauty and brutality. For readers who prefer more history in their historicals, this one is for you.

Richard and Isabel's marriage gets off to a rocky start. Richard doesn't hide the fact that this marriage is not what he wants; in fact, their wedding night is spent in prayer for Isabel's father and Richard's brothers. When the marriage is consummated, it is not the joyful event Isabel had hoped for.

I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil it. The Marriage Bed is a beautiful story: 5 out of 5.

Alyssa