"...an intense, memorable reading experience. This richly detailed novel is filled with magic, tenderness, sensuality... DOOR IN THE SKY is worth the effort."
Romantic Times April, 2000
Door in The Sky is not the typical fare found in today's romance market. It is a complex romantic adventure laced with paranormal elements, richly populated and beautifully written. Since the story is firmly grounded in historical accuracy, the paranormal aspects do not seem far-fetched. Rather author Carol Lynn Stewart weaves a tapestry in which the mystical is a strongly colored thread that complements all the others.
The heroine, Mariana de Reuilles, is the daughter of a witch, and comes into her own powers at a time when an Inquisition against the Cathar heretics is ripping apart the Basque land in which she lives. As Mariana learns the "old ways", she becomes embroiled in the fate of a sacred, magical vessel that was spirited out of a city being conquered by the Inquisition forces. During her adventure, two men touch her life and her heart. One, Richard, is a Breton knight whom she loved when a girl, and who understands her nature and traditions. The other, Henri, is a knight of the Inquisition sent to destroy her.
These three characters have rich histories and complex emotions, and Ms. Stewart develops them wonderfully. Mariana begins the story as a naive girl, but by the last page is a brave, confident woman. Henri is that rarity of all characters---a villain who grows into a hero. And Richard comes to face a hero's choice--is his duty to the past, or the future?
Ms. Stewart is an excellent writer, and she doesn't skimp or pull her punches. When the story is dark, it is very dark. When evil appears, it is uncompromising. When she explores the mystical elements, she takes the reader right into the wonders of Mariana's transcendence. When the characters experience love, it is poignant and tender.
This isn't your mother's romance. There is nothing predictable about it, not even its structure. It is a marvelous adventure, written in a lyrical style, packed with fast-paced action and daring ideas.
Review by Madeline Hunter, author of THE ROMANTIC, THE SAINT and THE SINNER and many other historical romance novels. http://www.madelinehunter.com .
