Hers to Command

In this touching but predictable romance set in medieval England, two unmarried—and hence unprotected—young noblewomen, desperate to save their late father's estate from conniving cousin Roald de Sayres, seek help from the only available knight in the neighborhood: the handsome, carefree, impoverished ladies' man Sir Henry d'Alton. Though beautiful Lady Giselle initially attracts Henry's eye, it's her homely but bold younger sister, Lady Mathilde—whose reputation has suffered a ruinous blow at the hands of Roald—who begins to win his similarly tarnished heart. While cameo appearances by characters from previous books in Moore's Brothers in Arms series, such as Merrick from The Unwilling Bride , may thrill the author's established fans, a more thorough recap of characters' shared history would better explain the wandering Sir Henry's need to prove himself. Fortunately, colorful and compelling details of life in the Middle Ages, from battle strategies to food, abound. (Feb.)