Dance in Heather

The forceful repression of the Lollards in the 15th century makes an unlikely backdrop for this ultimately rather gentle medieval romance. After her father is burned at the stake by order of Henry V, Lady Tess Farnsworth is betrothed to the Earl of Easterby, the King's Man who refused to save her father's life. Bent on revenge, the naive and inexperienced Tess plots to seduce the handsome rogue and kill him. Too late, Tess learns that the earl is a master at this game and has a few seductive plans of his own. Stronger subplots and characters might have added dimension and suspense to the story, but for the reader who enjoys lots of togetherness and lively sex scenes, Beard's (Lady and the Wolf) endearing protagonists will suffice. (June)