
The Secret Swan
Bantam
ISBN-10: 0553582003 ISBN-13: 978-0553582000
I just love bad boys...
What happens when a man's true
love has been hidden right before his eyes?
Ever have a secret crush?
Oh, come on! We all have! He
was that fascinating boy in school, the popular athlete,
charming, handsome, splendidand completely unattainable.
He was the one all the girls wanted: tousled hair, sparkling
eyes, a smile that could melt your bones with its sheer
sexual intensity. Maybe he even had a subtle edge of
danger to him, a rebel at heart, every inch of him promising
a wild, wild ride.
That's Tristan Geraint, Earl
of Haverlocke.
And you: dreaming of him, craving
him, silent and unseen, too shy to speak, far too in
love to resist those sweet fantasies of him, that dangerous
gleam to his eyes....
That's Amiranth St. Clare.
Amiranth has been in love with
Tristan almost all her life. She was just a girl when
she saw him first, struck instantly and incurably by
the glamour of this boy, his beauty, his smile, his
searing sensuality. Plain and demure, Amiranth never
quite gathers up the nerve to speak to him. Wrapped
in his own world, Tristan never even notices. But still,
she dreams.
And then one day, her dreams
come true.
Amiranth and Tristan wed. She
is overcome, amazed. The fact that Tristan still has
trouble noticing when she's in the same room doesn't
bother her. She loves him with all her heart, and knows
that someday, somehow, he will love her just as much.
But then Tristan disappears
in combat. Amiranth's "someday" slowly fades away. By
the time Tristan Geraint finds his way home again, eight
years have passed, and his shy young bride has died.
Or so he's told.
In her place is a stranger,
a coolly beautiful woman with a heart full of secrets.
Tristan knows all about secrets; he's endured a trial
not many could survive. He's a battle-weary warrior
who has a few dreams of his ownall of them centered
on his wife, the life he used to know.
The danger surrounding Tristan
is not yet over, his trial not yet done, but he has
found a reluctant ally, this woman who scorns him even
as she saves his life. Now, amid treachery and betrayal,
Tristan is going to have to risk all that he has, and
everything he is, to discover who she is to him, and
to regain what matters most: the steadfast heart of
his secret swan.
RECOGNITION
Winner of Aspen Gold for Best Historical
Romance
Finalist for the RITA, the Beacon, the Award of Excellence,
and the Orange Rose for Best Historical Romance
Nominated for Romantic Times' Reviewers' Choice
Award for Best Innovative Historical Romance
One of Amazon.com's Top Ten Best Historical Romances,
Top 50 Romance Bestsellers, and one of their Top 100 Best
Books of 2001
A Romantic Times Top Pick
Named by The Oakland Press One of the Best Romances
of 2001
REVIEWS
"Shana Abé is at her best when
creating strong characters and a powerful, original
plotline; she is at her finest in The Secret Swan.
I was immediately enthralled and kept spellbound as
I became a part of the romance and felt as if I, too,
lived during the terrible plague-ridden days and would
now fight for my love. This is storytelling at its best."
Romantic Times
"Author Abé is masterful as she
draws us into the story.... The Secret Swan is
an emotional read and a most rewarding one. Here is
a book you'll recommend to friends because of its powerful
impact."
5 Hearts, The Oakland
Press
"This is a beautiful love story
with compelling characters that are very well drawn
and capture your attention immediately. You are going
to find yourself rooting for this pair of lovers who
surely deserve a second chance at love. First, they
will have to go through the fire of healing hurts from
the past, and battle an enemy who is cunning and envious
and will go to any lengths to get what he wants. Ms.
Abé paints some gorgeous word pictures that still keep
flashing in my mind of a woman and man who are dealt
a cruel hand by fate, but then again, love just might
come to the rescue. Read The Secret Swan and
find out!
Shana Abé is one of my favorite
authors. She never disappoints in any way. Her characters
are endearing and oh so loveable. Her stories are fresh
and original and beautiful to behold. Put this author
on your "must read" list."
Suzanne "I'm Still Glorying
in the Beauty of Tristan and Amiranth's Love"
Coleburn, Belles and Beaux of Romance
"Shana Abé has created another
story of timeless depth and emotion. Her characters
and historical settings draw her readers in and hold
them to the last sigh. You will enjoy every minute of
The Secret Swan."
Old Book Barn Gazette
"The Secret Swan is a tale
of two people wedded as youthful strangers, separated,
and brought together again as adults who have been tested
by time and heartache. This deeply emotional and intense
story not only has superb characterization, but also
features a terrific plot, a complex villain, and a wonderful
setting. Author Shana Abé just keeps getting better
and better with each new novel, so if you love fine
historical romance, don't miss The Secret Swan."
Lois Faye Dyer, Amazon.com
Editorial Reviews
"The Secret Swan by Shana
Abé is a delightful novel that should not be missed!
Ms. Abé has crafted a tale that is sure to grip readers
and never let go. Once you start reading this tale of
love, you won't be able to stop until you turn the last
pageit's that good! Ms. Abé delivers an exciting
and beautifully woven tale with a rich and fascinating
plot which is layered with plenty of intrigue. The characters
of Tristan and his lady are strong and complex, totally
mesmerizing. Tristan is vividly portrayed; his emotions
and personality are absolutely captivating. The fears
he faces, his recollections of life in prison, his fiercely
protective attitude to keep what is hiseach and
every facet of him came across exceptionally well. I
could certainly understand why Amiranth loved him so
deeply!
The Secret Swan boasts excellent
narration and engaging dialogue. Ms. Abé has definitely
penned a winner! Readers of historical romance are sure
to claim this book for their keeper's shelf!"
Reader To Reader
"The Secret Swan is a superb
medieval romance that will keep readers up late in order
to finish it in one sitting. The lead characters are
filled with depth so they seem real and their relationships
genuine. The support cast, including the graphic descriptions
of the plague, provides the needed impetus to a cleverly
designed plot. Shana Abé ably renders her audience with
what will be considered one of the sub genre's top novels
of the year."
Painted Rock
"The Secret Swan by Shana
Abé contains several elements frequently found in those
old-fashioned bodice-ripper-style romances: an innocent
child bride, a tormented alpha hero who wrongs her,
an adversarial relationship, a couple of Big Secrets.
Abé magically weaves these not-so-promising threads
together to create a story that's both original and
lovely... Amiranth (Lily?) is a great heroine. She's
both vulnerable and very clever; there are a couple
of wonderful scenes in which her quick thinking saves
Tristan's bacon... And I loved Tristan. After his years
in prison, his rage at fate, his aggressive desire to
regain all he lost, and his hopeless longing for Lily
all make him tremendously compelling, even when he is
not (as he often is not) terribly nice... There's something
dreamy and brilliantly-colored about Abé's prose...
This is the kind of book that makes you want to stop
and savor certain passages. We here at AAR have been
known to complain about some of the plot devices in
those old-fashioned romance novels. In The Secret
Swan, Abé does better than make them workshe
makes them sing. The Secret Swan also has the
sort of epic feel that some older romances had, that
sense of two souls who are destined to be together,
moving amidst the great pageant of history. If you've
been missing that sort of romanceeven if you haven'tI
heartily recommend this book. I know I'll want to read
it again."
All About Romance, Desert
Isle Keeper
"Ms. Abé is such a gifted writer,
the reader experiences all of the protagonists' moods
and looks forward to a time when they can have well-deserved
happiness."
Rendezvous
"The Secret Swan holds enough
action, conflict and suspense for readers who love an
intricate plot. The lush prose paints a convincing picture
of a land and people in the latter part of the Middle
Ages. But even more enthralling is the emotionally stirring
relationship between two extraordinary characters. Ms.
Abé's rich voice seduced me into the minds of both protagonists
while she took them from optimistic youth, through hardship
and disillusionment, and into their full potential.
The Secret Swan is an intensely captivating novel,
one I highly recommend."
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