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    The Valcourt Heiress
    The Valcourt Heiress
    The Valcourt Heiress
    Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

    The Valcourt Heiress

    Written by Catherine Coulter

    Narrated by Anne Flosnik

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    When Garron of Kersey returns home from the king's service to claim his title as Baron Wareham, he's shocked to find Wareham Castle very nearly destroyed by a man called the Black Demon.

    According to the last starving servants inside the castle walls, the Black Demon was looking for silver belonging to Garron's brother Arthur. Among his remaining servants is the enigmatic Merry, the bastard child of the castle's priest. Garron quickly suspects that she is much more than a servant: She reads and writes and makes lists, just as he does. They work together to bring Wareham back to its former splendor.

    But this is only the beginning. Did Arthur have a cache of silver? Who is the Black Demon? And the biggest question of all: Who is Merry?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateOct 5, 2010
    ISBN9781441880833
    The Valcourt Heiress
    Author

    Catherine Coulter

    Catherine Coulter is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ninety-two novels including the FBI suspense thriller series and A Brit in the FBI international thriller series, co-written with the brilliant author J.T. Ellison. Coulter lives in Sausalito, California, with her Übermensch husband. She hikes daily and posts wide-ranging photos of her beautiful area.

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    Reviews for The Valcourt Heiress

    3.5/5

    31 ratings22 reviews

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    • 1/5
      Let me preface this by saying that this review is on the “uncorrected proof ” that I received from Putnam Books.This is an important qualifier because I pray to whatever deity has time to listen that the final book released bares no resemblance to The Valcourt Heiress I read. Because the book I read is terrible. Awful. Stinky. A waste of paper. A waste of time. A waste of energy. A waste of shelf space. I can honestly say I haven’t read a book this terrible in a very long time. Run, don’t walk, away from this book. Definitely don’t buy it. If you want to torture yourself with reading it, check it out at the library. There are better ways to spend your hard-earned money. There are definitely more worthy books. I wish I had something positive to say about The Valcourt Heiress, but nothing comes to mind except that the cover is very attractive. That’s it . Nothing more. I have nothing positive to tell you. Honestly, when I started I didn’t know who was responsible for putting this horribly written book in my hands. I couldn’t believe a publisher would let this tripe out for review. (I still can’t believe it!) It reads like a first draft. I knew from the first page it would be tough read since the sentence structure is appallingly simplistic. The story is uninspired. The characters don’t meet the high standards of caricatures; they are simply one-dimensional. Actually, one-dimensional is too interesting a description.The story starts out with “she”, aka Merry, running away from home since her mother is forcing her to marry. Perhaps not identifying the woman would have worked if the sentences had been better written, but alas, they were not. So I’m merely irritated time and again about “she” this and “she” that. Then we meet our “hero” and another random character who I immediately realized must have his own book. It’s a completely random and awkward introduction that doesn’t advance the story and confused me. Do I have to re-familiarize myself with characters from the Song series, which was written over 20 years ago? I did quick research and found out that Severin’s not from the original series, but from the randomly tacked on books added to the series years later. And yes, Severin’s randomly added for a few pages at the beginning, only to play no significance later. Confusing.Garron and Merry are the h/h and I have no interest in either of them. They are not interesting characters, not because they don’t have potential, but because Catherine Coulter doesn’t write coherently to establish any chemistry.Garron rescues Merry from villains at the beginning but is unaware of that fact since he thinks he’s rescued a boy. Merry follows him to his castle which has been attacked leaving its inhabitants in dire straits. When he returns (for the first time after inheriting it) his people are pleased since he’s saving them from starvation. Merry sneaks in and somehow gets all Garron’s people to lie for her. Why? I have no idea. There’s an explanation but it’s weak. Very, very weak and unbelievable. They love their master, but will lie about the identity of some random chick they don’t know. I really don’t see that happening.I’m not going to bore you with summarizing the plot because I would make it sound interesting. It’s not. The secondary characters are boring and one-dimensional. The villains are stupid and boring. The story is boring. The “twist” at the end was not surprising, probably because I didn’t care.I am really surprised and appalled at how badly written it is. That’s what surprises me the most. The Catherine Coulter I used to read could write and she told interesting stories. This Catherine Coulter cannot write. Not even a little bit.I really hope that a significant rewrite was made to this book but I doubt it. A book doesn’t get to proof stage without being close to finished.
    • 4/5
      Merry, the Valcourt heiress, has a bit of a problem - her father's death has left her custodial care to the tender mercies of the mother who abandoned her as a baby. A mother who promptly sells her hand in marriage. As any self-respecting heroine in this situation would, Merry runs away, only to be kidnapped. Unexpectedly Earl of Wareham after his brother's death, Garron isn't expecting to find his inheritance all but destroyed by the Retribution, the people who weren't slaughtered starving. Nor was he expecting a flaming redhead who shares his passion for list-making.A somewhat predictable medieval romance with likable main characters, plenty of villains and lots of plot twists. I enjoyed it thoroughly right up to the ending, which was a bit too out of the blue to ring true to the rest of the action. **an advance reading copy, so there were a few typos which will likely be cleaned up by the time it's published.
    • 2/5
      In regard to this book's storyline, I would probably give it 2-1/2 to 3 stars, if visually read, but Ms. Flosnik's voice rates 1 star (at best). I don't think I can listen to Anne Flosnik's voice anymore. Her timbre and cadence are so irritating, and I am starting to always think of Amanda Quick and Catherine Coulter books when I hear her voice. When I had more time to read hard copies of books, I liked both authors more. Neither author is among my favorites, but having their stories narrated by Ms. Flosnik, takes them from a "good once in a while" to "only when desperate." Authors, PLEASE be diligent in monitoring the voice talent used to narrate your titles. For avid "listeners" of audio books, the narrator is as important to the story line as is a good editor.
    • 5/5
      Ding Dong the witch is...ALIVE... and causing all kinds of mayhem in medieval England. Garron of Kersey returns home to claim his title as Baron of Wareham after his brother dies, only to find his castle destroyed and most of its occupants slaughtered. Among his remaining servants is Merry. A beautiful redheaded girl who helps him restore his estate and solve the mysteries surrounding both of them. This book takes you into this magical place as Catherine Coulter weaves a love story into the lives of this group of heroes and villains. Bless St. Cuthburt's freckled knees, this is a wonderful book.
    • 4/5
      When the father of Merry the Valcourt Heiress dies unexpectedly, her long-absent mother returns to sell her and her fortune to the unpleasant and malicious Jason of Brennan, a fact which Merry finds repugnant. Running away from both Jason and her mother, Merry, dressed as a stable boy, is kidnapped mid-flight by a vicious man and his band of thieves. After she's rescued by a mysterious nobleman, she again runs away, only this time she decides to hide in the nobleman's retinue and take her chances on a new life. As it turns out, this nobleman is none other than Garron of Kersey, the new earl of Warham Castle. Garron is returning to Warham to take control of the castle and its people after his brother's murder. But when Garron arrives, he discovers the castle largely abandoned and the few survivors tell the tale of the invasion and slaughter of Warham and its people by a man known only as the Black Demon. When Merry comes to understand what's happened at Wareham, she begs the remaining residents to keep her identity secret and sets about repairing the damage wrought at Warham, helping Garron restore order in his lands. Merry is a playful and headstrong young girl who is unschooled in the ways of love, and as Garron's interest in her begins to rise, he questions where this girl has some from and what she is doing ruling the kingdom beside him. But Merry and Garron's new found peace and happiness aren't without obstacles. The faceless Black Demon is still unidentified and on the loose, and Merry's mother, rumored to be a powerful witch, is still ruthlessly searching the countryside for her daughter. The Valcourt Heiress is a delectable romp where historical fiction shares the spotlight with fantasy, melding together to form a tale of both high adventure and taut intrigue.Once again, I made the mistake of judging a book by its cover. It happens all too frequently that I dismiss a book out of hand because the cover doesn't fit my parameters of what I think I should be reading. And looking at this cover, I expected it to be a bodice-ripping romance that would hold little interest for me. After reading the book, I have two points to make. The first is that I need to be a little more open-minded and less judgemental about the types of books I read, and the second (and I feel more important) is that publishers really need to work on more successfully matching the covers of their books to the material inside. This book has nothing even remotely to do with the design on the cover. There is never even a scene in the book like the one depicted on the cover. Publishers, stop doing this to us! You lose readers this way! Okay, I'll stop with the ranting and get on to the reviewing.I hadn't been expecting it but this book was a lot of fun to read! Coulter has a way of interspersing her action sequences among the more mild and introspective scenes that I really enjoyed. This tactic made the writing feel very smooth and had the effect of making the books feel very pleasingly layered. A lot of the character creation was done in a progressive way as well, so it felt that as I was reading, I was coming to know more and more about the people who populated the book. Instead of having everything thrown at me all at once, I gradually got to feel more and more comfortable with the characters and all their habits and nuances. I especially liked the budding relationship between Merry and Garron and felt that it also evolved in a pleasing and unique way. It's not often I read books that heavily feature romance, but I kind of felt that the romance between these two characters was almost slipped in casually, and instead of being the prime focus of the book, it came off as a satisfying undercurrent.One of the things I really liked was the continuing intrigue the Black Demon provided. Coulter had a way of reaching back and pulling this storyline off the back burner several times and bringing it into sharp relief throughout the tale, giving the book more than a hint of mystery and suspense. I also enjoyed that the book had some magical and fantastical elements to it as well, and really, although this wasn't a straight fantasy or mystery novel, it incorporated a lot of diverse elements into the story, making it a bit difficult to house under a a specific genre. It was all very finely wrought and in a way it took the best parts of each genre and formed a thrilling and inviting whole. I confess to being very engrossed with the rebuilding of the castle as well, and the logistics of making soap and fashioning furniture were very appealing to me. Maybe this is because I tend to be enamored of the day-to-day practicalities of this time period, but whatever it was, it kept me entertained.Another thing I liked was that the pacing of the story was so solid and tight. There weren't a lot of needless sections that dawdled on the scenery and weather and things like that. I confess I often find those things boring and sometimes skim over them. When I'm reading, I like meat and grist, and needless pontification about the scenery just ends up bugging me. Some would say those types of things set the mood and tone of the book but I find them to be a little exasperating at times. This book wasn't bogged down with those kids of details and I really liked that. It was straightforward and honest storytelling, and there was more than enough action and specifics to fill the pages without resorting to what the trees outside looked like. It was great to see that Coulter excelled so beautifully with her intended tale, and though I didn't think I would be, I was very impressed with it all.I suspect this book will be the first in a series, and for that I'm grateful. I found it to be a delightful way to start off the new year, and much to my surprise, I ended up really liking this book a lot. It was an entertaining escapist read and the characters, setting and plot line kept me avidly turning the pages. This is another instance when I would advise you to ignore the cover and just dig in. It's a book that's great fun and I ended up enjoying it a lot! Recommended!
    • 4/5
      This was a pleasant historical romance. Merry is the Valcourt Heiress and, therefore, a matrimonial prize. When her father dies, her mother returns from her convent with a potential groom - Jason of Brennan. Merry's mother is a well-known witch and the groom sets off Merry's creep alert. Merry sneaks away from home, is kidnapped by evil Sir Halric, and is rescued by Garron of Kersey. During the rescue attempt she hides from Garron but then follows him home to Wareham.As the blurb says, Wareham is almost completely destroyed. The Black Demon has killed most of the people and destroyed most of the property in his search for the hidden silver. Merry convinces the remaining servants to say she had always lived there as the bastard daughter of the local priest and begins her work to restore the castle. She and Garron form a relationship. At first, it is based on their shared desires to restore Wareham but personal attraction soon enters the picture. Merry is a strong character. She can read and write and she wants some say in determining her future. Merry decides that she would prefer Garron as a husband and seduces him. Garron is King Edward's man and knows that he has to make things right with him in order to be allowed to marry an heiress. Edward is very interested in the hidden silver too because he wants his cut. The villains, including Merry's mother, Jason of Brennan, and Sir Halric, are all in pursuit of Merry and the treasure. Many exciting episodes fill this book. Merry's mother kidnaps her, drugs her and casts spells on her. Garron goes to her rescue but is foiled by Merry's mother's potions. There are a lot of medieval expressions in the story. I found it entertaining to watch for the next saint's body part used for emphasis in a conversation. My personal favorite was "praise St. Cuthbert's padded belly."This is recommended as a light historical romance for lovers of the genre.
    • 3/5
      I found this book to be a let down. I have read about a half dozen books by Cathrine Coulter and she is usually a master of romantic suspense but I found not a bit of romance to be found in this book. It started out well. it seemed promising but as I got towards the middle of the book I felt that it was blah. When I read a romance novel I need to feel the chemistry between the two leads here I didn't. They were likable but I don't think they were developed enough. I didn't care about them and I think every good book has characters that you care about, that you root for. They fell flat.The love scene was truly one of the most unromantic ones I have read and no other to redeem it. I just didn't see how they fell in love. And that is what I wanted. I had minor issues with the plot. A lot of it centered around magic and evil forces but didn't go far enough to get me exicited.The antagonist are more annoying than anything. It wasn't a bad book. It was a light read and pretty fast paced. I was just hopping for more.
    • 4/5
      Merry escapes her recently deceased father’s estate in the hopes of avoiding her evil mother’s plans to wed her to a despicable man. She runs to Wareham Castle where she poses as the bastard daughter to the former priest. Everyone at Wareham Castle knows the truth except for the new Lord of the castle, Garron. She is accepted into the castle and soon plays a vital role in bringing the destroyed estate back to its former glory. The mystery that surrounds the Black Demon and his malicious attack on Wareham becomes the focus of Garron and Merry, and the two build a bond as they work to revive the spirit of the people as well as rebuild the estate and the surrounding holdings. Catherine Coulter has always been a favorite of mine, and this latest installment in her historical romance collection hasn’t changed my mind. Ms. Coulter has weaved a simple romance into a moderate mystery and included a few twists, just enough to keep the reader wondering who can be trusted and how will this play out. Some aspects of this story are predictable, but there are a few areas of intrigue that keep the story fresh and compel the reader to continue turning the pages.If you enjoy Catherine Coulter’s historical romance novels then I don’t believe you will be disappointed with her latest work. I enjoyed reading The Valcourt Heiress.
    • 5/5
      The Valcourt Heiress - by Catherine Coulter When Garron of Kersey comes back to claim his new castle, Wareham Castle and his vast properties, he is surprised to find almost everyone dead and the people who are left starving and with little hope. Oddly there is one maiden left who he doesn’t know but seems vaguely familiar to him. Her name is Merry and the others left at the castle have taken to her quite well. Garron believes the lies she has told and that she is the bastard daughter of the slain priest that used to live in the castle. Merry knows that Garron knows that she isn’t who she seems. But they are both content to let the lies stand until the castle is put to rights. I have never read a book by Catherine Coulter, but my best friend had been encouraging me to read her, so when I had the chance to read this book I felt that since I love historical romance why not? I am so glad I did. It was so entertaining, so vividly drawn, and the characters felt so real. I don’t usually like anything written earlier than the Regency; sometimes I will indulge in a Viking historical though. But now I am anxious to see if Catherine has any other Medieval books under her name. The plot was one that I have not really encountered in this manner. Yes I’m sure if you are a historical fan you have read the “beautiful frightened maiden hiding out as a lad” plot before. But I’ll bet you haven’t read it done quite like this before. I loved this book and although I was going to send this to my pal, I think this may be a keeper for me! The comedic oaths to all the saints was nearly enough to make this a keeper. But the story is what really does it.
    • 3/5
      This is the story of Merry who is the daughter of the Earl of Valcourt. Upon his death, Merry becomes a pawn of her mother, a reputed witch who is planning to sell her daughter and her inheritance to Jason of Brennan. Trying to escape her fate (dressed as a boy), Merry struggles with Jason's men and is rescued by Garron of Kersey. Following him to his new holdings in Warham, Merry convinces the residents of the ravaged property that she can help them if they shield her identity.Upon the arrival of Garron in Warham we learn of an attack by the Black Demon that killed nearly all the inhabitants and destroyed all the goods of the estate. The evil force was searching for silver coins that Garron's older brother supposedly stole before his death. The Story progresses as Merry and Garron both take on new roles at Warham and eventually the mystery of the Black Demon and Merry's mother both unite for a climax that is a bit predictable.I enjoyed the book but the romance wasn't concentrated enough, the mystery was lacking in the clues department, and overall, the characters were a bit one dimensional. I think that needed a bit more editing and character development.
    • 3/5
      I found this book to be disappointing. The first half of the book was pretty good although jumpy and lacking in some details. The second half of the book I had an even harder time following and became very bored.Garron and Merry were both likable characters. Merry on the run after escaping her wicked mother and an evil suitor only to be kidnapped. Garron unknowingly rescuing her and then providing a safe haven in his newly gained court. Secrets kept from Garron soon revealed and trouble finds Merry at Garron's court. The plot was sound just executed poorly. I am a C. Coutler fan but I do not recommend this book.
    • 3/5
      Okay. It was a mindless, but fun romance. Totally historically inept, but a good twist at the end I didn't see coming. Quick read. Entertainment only. No literary value.
    • 3/5
      I found a lot lacking. The characterizations were flat. I never got a real sense of who Merry and Garron were and didn't care all that much about them. I didn't feel like they were ever in any real danger or why they ended up together. The magic felt tacked on. There was no reason for there to be magic and the only person who had it was the main villain. And the villain only did it for the money? You didn't find out anything about the magic system, either. There were plot twists - and I use the term lightly - that were solved with a passing paragraph. Lastly, the dialogue and mannerisms were too modern. I gave it five stars out of ten because it was an easy read and I liked that the heroine made lists.
    • 3/5
      A young woman flees her home to avoid the forced marriage arranged by her wicked witch mother. In a nearby woods she is rescued from kidnappers by a brave young knight. After some days working together to restore the young knight's home, which was destroyed by the woman's betrothed, the woman and the knight start to fall in love. Before they can be married, however, the young woman is once again kidnapped--this time by the evil witch who is her mother. This is pretty much where the story fell apart for me.I enjoyed watching Merry and Garron's banter with each other and with the soldiers and servants, so when they were separated by the kidnapping ruse for almost half the book, the momentum of the romance was lost for me.It was a lot less misogynistic and rapey than Coulter's early 90s historicals, so I'll call that a major plus, and the light tone and fast pace made any of the really? moments I had quickly forgotten. I just wish there had been more time spent on Merry and Garron together before the "I love you. The end." part.
    • 5/5
      Fast paced romance set in Medieval England, late 13th century. Has lots of quirky romance turns, court intrigue, and descriptions of life from the time. Thoroughly enjoyed reading. Started and it read so smoothly that I was half way finished before I realized it.
    • 5/5
      Normally I only read Catherine Coulter's FBI Series. Which are fantiastic by the way I can never be patient while waiting for the new ones to be released. I had been meaning to jump into her period works and I am now very glad I did this book kept me engaged the entire time. I couldnt stop reading it. From moment 1 I was wondering what was going to happen. The mystery of who the Black demon was. Who/what was going on with Mary's mother. Sorry it took so long to review. Life kept me busy, busy, busy. Hard to keep up 1 of my 2 favorite past times. Once I was able to crack the spine I couldnt put it down!
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this boo at first and fund the heroine likable and fun, and a good fit for the hero. Things moved a little faster than I am used to, but when the magic and the witch became involved, the book became to weird and less enjoyable. The the "twist" was really odd and took me way out of the book. I usually enjoy Coulter's historical romance, but I would have been disappointed if I had bought this book. I would have read it, but nor purchased it, especially at the cost of a hardback book.
    • 3/5
      This book's plot basically is runaway heiress in disguise meets warrior lord with a problem. The problem in this case is a decimated castle. Add evil stepmother, magic, possible treasure and that's the story. The banter between the main characters was enjoyable. The mystery kept my attention and I wanted to see how it was resolved. All in All it is an entertaining book but not a memorable one. I would recommend this book to a reader of Medieval romance or Catherine Coulter fan but I would advise that you not to buy the hardcover edition, wait until it comes out in paperback.
    • 4/5
      Catherine Coulter keeps you entertained in her newest novel. 'The Valcourt Heiress' is a book that will have you smiling all the way through it and should make you want to go grab one of her other books when your done!
    • 3/5
      This was a light read, Merry, the female lead, was headstrong and stubborn yet a bit too naive. The male lead, Garron, was an honorable yet somewhat clueless nobleman. The story seemed to drag a bit in the middle, the ending though a bit out of left field and seemed a little choppy, was workable. I was quite disappointed with the lack of love scenes. It seemed as thought though too much time was spent on the interactions between Merry and the other women, Garron and Robert (the chancelor) than between Merry & Garron. Thought it was an enjoyable read, it was not one of the beeter books I have read by Catherine Coulter.
    • 1/5
      It has been a LONG time since I have read a Catherine Coulter book, so I was very excited to find out that she has FINALY written (note: not REWRITTEN) a historical and I was so lucky to snag an Early Reviewers copy (from LibraryThing) of it! The book arrived and I just could not wait to start. The cover photo was great! Now all it needs is for the book to be as well, right?To start, I must state that I respected the author and I loved her historical romance books (note: PAST tense). I am not a fan of contemporary romance, or thriller so I’ve never read her FBI series. I KNEW her historical books, and this review is based on the “uncorrected proof” that was provided by Putnam Books. I will NOT go into the summary of the story as you can read it for yourself. Now, I wanted to like this book, I really did. That said I cannot believe this got published. This, to me, reads as a rough draft of a book, and even as such, it needs a LOT more work to make it anywhere near interesting, much less believable. It is very slow paced; it took too long for the conflict to get resolved, and totally predictable. Oh, and the dialog!!! It was just awful, boring, bland and unrealistic! The characterization is thin, silly and underdeveloped as well as totally ONE dimensional! Not one solid character or developed plot. Not one single enjoyable moment, character, or storyline! I've never read a book where the characters lacked so much personality and chemistry! As for the romance? What romance?! I so wanted to care for Garron and Merry, but I found them so boring, so bland, so one dimensional and plain silly! Try as I might, I really didn't care for their story. The people, plot- totally unbelievable. Page after page, I just kept reading; shocked that such uninspired trash actually got published! How bad can it get, I kept asking myself? Guess what? It actually gets worse and worse, as you keep reading it. I had to debate whether to continue reading or just give up! I grew more angry, disgruntled as I plowed through. By the last page, I felt cheated! Am I to believe that Catherine Coulter wrote this book?! Did Ms. Coulter do any research in order to write this? Did she do ANYTHING in order to throw this mess my way? This is a disjointed story that left me confused, rolling my eyes in frustration, wondering how a veteran author could write this, and then allow such shabby work to be published? She might as well have PHONED IT IN! It cannot be just me! Catherine Coulter has forgotten how to write! Seriously!!! I am embarrassed for her! It is truly one of the worst books I have ever read and a huge insult to my intelligence. Actually, it's quite possibly THE worst one. Totally, absolutely ridiculous!!!!! What a waste of paper, time and money! A huge disappointment! I would not let the PRISONERS read this and I think you should have more fun reading David Lee Roth’s “Crazy From the Heat”! To the reader who is reading this review, DO NOT read (dare I call it BOOK?)! I do NOT recommend it. PLEASE do not buy it! You will be greatly disappointed. I honestly wish I could give zero stars for this book. If you absolutely MUST, get it from the library. This isn't worth your hard earned money.
    • 4/5
      Lord Garron, on the way to the family estate he now owns due to the death of his brother, stops to rescue a lad from kidnappers. During the fight the lad takes off. When Garron arrives at his holding, it’s to find that the Black Demon had come looking for silver coins Garron’s brother had stolen, killing or driving off most of the people and destroying everything. Only a dozen starving elderly remain.Merry is kidnapped from her home just as she’s trying to run away and is forced to dress as a lad. Her father had just died suddenly, and her mother, a witch who Merry has only seen a couple of times before, arrives and announces Merry’s betrothal to a man Merry can tell is evil. She follows Garron to his holding and gets the people to claim she’s the dead priest’s bastard daughter by promising to make things better. Garron realizes she can’t be who she says she is, but she sure is getting results. I’ve read every book this author has written, and I confess that I dislike the fact that so many characters in her books have the same witty voice. But I was surprised that after being upset at seeing it once again, I was able to forget about it as I got lost in this perfectly charming story. Interesting twist near the end.Those who have read her medieval stories will recognize some names from other books, although most aren’t on scene. Those new to the author are in for a real treat.