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Hugh And Bess: A Love Story (2009)

by Susan Higginbotham(Favorite Author)

3.76 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1402215274 (ISBN13: 9781402215278)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Sourcebooks Landmark

review 1: This is a very quick, easy read that focuses almost entirely on Hugh le Despenser and Elizabeth de Montacute, fondly known as Bess. It is a very effective sequel to "The Traitor's Wife," and provides a brief view of the political climate following the downfall of the Despenser family (the storyline of the previous book) as well as the advent of what became known as the Black Death.It was interesting to follow Hugh and Bess's marriage as it developed through the rocky days of their early union and into the warm relationship that developed as the young bride matured. Alongside the couple's growing feeling for one another, we witness Hugh working to salvage his family name to the point that he is one of the wealthiest men in the kingdom. He is faced with a number of challenge... mores which he surmounts to free his family from the shroud of ostracism his over-ambitious father left behind as a tainted legacy. Even though he was not completely successful in reinstating his family's good name, what he did accomplish was more satisfying to read about for me than the medieval love story.More finite in scope than "The Traitor's Wife," this novel does provide some of the historical detail that was a key component of Higginbotham's style previously. It wasn't exceptional as an historical novel, but it was a very sweet and enjoyable story to spend time with. Bravo!
review 2: First impressions: Not impressed. An easy read with enjoyable dialogue and some good historical detail, but very superficial. The storytelling was very episodic, with some backstory filler between major life events. The biggest disappointment was the lack of emotional depth and character development. Other than dealing with their significant age difference, neither Hugh nor Bess change or grow at all throughout the story - Hugh especially is presented as a saintly warrior who can do no wrong. less

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