Pendragon (Bride Series) by Catherine Coulter

From Barnes & Noble

Catherine Coulter gives romance a gothic twist as she continues her bestselling saga of the Sherbrooke family into the next generation. Tysen Sherbrooke's daughter, Meggie, is 19 now, old enough to know the joys of love -- and its sorrows. When the man she has secretly loved since childhood unwittingly breaks her heart, Meggie marries another man, Thomas Malcombe, Earl of Lancaster. In the spring of 1824 she arrives at her new husband's castle, Pendragon, on the coast of Ireland, only to find, amid the strange local folk and fascinating twists and turns of the vast keep, that there is more to her handsome husband than she was told before they wed. She's willing to dismiss the nasty rumor she'd heard about a girl he'd ruined -- until she comes to suspect that she was brought to Pendragon for some sinister purpose....

From the Publisher

Meggie Sherbrooke, newly married to Thomas Malcombe, the earl of Lancaster, finds her new home in Pendragon, a castle on the southeastern coast of Ireland. The ancient dwelling, full of eccentric people, charms Meggie—in a fashion that could lead to disaster.

Publishers Weekly

Coulter's latest Regency-era romance continues the saga of the Sherbrooke family, relayed in her Bride Trilogy (The Sherbrooke Bride, etc.). While attending her first London ball, 18-year-old Meggie, daughter of Reverend Tysen Sherbrooke, encounters an old schoolgirl crush, her "almost-cousin" Jeremy. Certain that she is now old enough to be truly in love, she's devastated when her affections aren't returned. In an attempt to get over Jeremy, she hastily marries Thomas Malcombe, the earl of Lancaster, a man who has been scarred by his history with untrustworthy women. Meggie must win over her husband, even as she battles her nasty mother-in-law for control of the estate. Her troubles don't stop there, however; someone is trying to kill her, and she and Thomas must discover who and why. Although fans of the series will undoubtedly enjoy revisiting the charming and eccentric Sherbrooke family, new readers will find themselves at a loss to explain some of their bizarre behavior (the family's tradition of cat racing, for instance). Several of the novel's plot points are left unresolved as well such as the reason behind Mrs. Malcombe's antipathy toward Meggie and the motive behind Thomas's younger brother's rakish behavior. Despite the occasional charming moment, this slight story falls short of Coulter's usual standards. (Jan.) Forecast: Over the years, Coulter's fan base has expanded to include devotees of contemporary romantic suspense and thriller novels, but these readers won't find her latest a worthy introduction to her historicals. Coulter's long-time fans, however, will pluck this one off the shelf before the dust has a chance to settle. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents