Another Historical Novel

I just finished another book.  This one is another historical novel, "The Coming of the Wolf" by Elizabeth Chadwick.

Chadwick is a British author who writes historical fiction set primarily in the Middle Ages.  The novel is one of her early works although it was not published until later.  It stands as a prequel to her first best-selling novel, "The Wild Hunt".

It is set in England in the years after the Norman Conquest of 1066 when William the Conqueror invaded England.  Although William has taken the crown, his rule is contested by English, Welsh and Norse insurgents.  The main character is young Lady Christen, a member of English minor nobility.  When her husband, who is 30 years her senior, is murdered and the castle pillaged by the Normans, the Norman - Welsh warrior, Miles LeGallois proposes marriage to Christen in return for sparing the life of her rebellious brother.

Chadwick's historical research is excellent, but at times the book feels like a bodice-ripping romantic novel.  It is a bit hard to believe that Christen so quickly forgets her murdered husband and begins to fall in love with Miles after just one night of steamy sex.

It was a fairly enjoyable read, and with a length of only 284 pages, I finished it quickly.  It was not, however, one of the best historical novels that I have read.