Product Description

When the Normans invade and sweep across Saxon England in 1066, lovely Aislinn of Darkenwald watches her father murdered outside her home. Wulfgar, the Iron Wolf of Normandy, arrives to rule Darkenwald, and one look at Aislinn leads him to claim her as his own. She hates the Norman conquering forces, but Wulfgar awakens a consuming passion in her that she can't deny. As she struggles with her growing love for Wulfgar, she does what she can to aid her conquered people and her bereaved mother. But a jealous lord conspires with Wulfgar's spoiled half-sister and Aislinn's very life is threatened before Wulfgar can admit that the woman he conquered has in truth, conquered his heart.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38013 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 512 pages

About the Author
With more than 36 million copies of her best-selling novels in print, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss is one of America's most popular authors. She has written 12 enormously successful masterworks of romantic fiction.

Customer Reviews

The best romance novel of the Norman Conquest
"Wolf and the Dove is the most delightful and most realistic medieval romance written about the Norman conquest of Britain.
I am very happy that I've read this book first and the other similar books later. None of them compairs to Ms. Woodiwiss's wonderful story of Ayslinn of Darkenwald and Wulfgar, William the Conqueror's best knight.The story is set in times just after the Battle of Hastings. The Normans invaded Britain but the Saxon population haven't accepted their rule yet. Aislinn is the lady of Darkenwald an important Saxon holding. At the beginning she hates Wulfgar the Norman warrior who came to claim Darkenwald and later Aislinn's heart as well. The storyline is very good and fast-paced. Action follows action and the writer keeps you stuck to your book until the end. I love the detailed description of the characters and the historical background. This is what I call historical romance, where history and romance are well balanced. Even if it's not maybe 100% accurate, the readers feel that they are back in those times and not just follow the characters but they are one of them.Each character is wonderfully alive physically and emotionally as well.I don't think that it's boring to know all the details. On the contrary, it makes me feel part of the book. Aislinn is beautiful, intelligent, proud and loyal to her Saxon people. She is fed up with war and killing and she wants her people to live in peace and prosper. She hates Wulfgar, a conqueror knight who took her beloved home but slowly she understands his motives and his peaceful plans for her people. She falls in love not only with the handsome warrior but with the clever and compassionate man as well. Wulfgar is a warrior hardened by war and his stigma of being born a bastard. He wants his own place and he wants to settle down and build a peace beetwen Saxon and Norman. He sees the beautiful and strong woman in Aislinn together with her loyalty to her people and her giving nature as well.The couple is well matched and Ms. Woodiwiss follows their getting to know each other, fights and contradictory emotions until they find their happiness in their mutual love and understanding.
Even the negativ characters are well described and they come alive with all their cruelty and hate. Ragnor, the other Norman knight who hasn't known poverty and who was admired all his life by women and all the nobles in Normandy is Wulfgar's opposite.
He is cruel, bloodthirsty and the only thing he values is power.
So does Gweneth Wulfgar's bitter half-sister who repays his brotherly help and kindness by betraying him to his enemies.
The book is full of the everyday life of the keep, the village and its people. It also describes William the Conqueror and his court. The whole story seems very real to the reader and I must admit I didn't want it to end. I've read the book just a few months ago and I didn't know that it was written years and years ago. I am sure I will read it many times again in the future.I find it with my favourite books that the more I read them the more I like them.
THE WOLF AND THE DOVE is a classic historical romance. You will never forget it and you will read it many times. Ms. Woodiwiss is a wonderful writer and her novel is an excellent and enjoyable read.I highly recommend it to everyone who loves history and romance entwined together in a great novel.

The best of the best
The Wolf and the Dove is the best of the best. Once you've read it it becomes the one novel you measure all others by - in my case for the last many umpteen years. Wulfgar is the ultimate hero. Aislin is a brilliant heroine. It has been on my bookshelf for ever and it's not going anywhere soon!

One reviewer chaffed about the historical content but I don't read these novels to learn about history, I choose a history book for that - I read the Wolf and the Dove for the wonderful love story, the excitement of the storyline and the great Woodiwiss characters.

Most historical novels have tiny inaccuracies but I don't bother whether the potato existed in the 11th century or whether a Norman warhorse stood 15 hands high or higher - who's to say they were all 15 hands tall but no higher? History is about reading the 'facts', reading some more and then thinking, a lot.

We used to assume that everyone in the past stood five-feet nothing - not true, that people always died young not true, that everyone had terrible teeth - not true. Who ever really knows when it comes down to it - it really doesn't matter that much - just go with the flow and enjoy!!!

Mama was right!! No book will ever compare!!!!
Growing up I always saw this book lying around my house, my grandmother's, or aunt's. One of them was always reading it. My Mother has been trying to get me to read it for about 8 years now. I finally did. I don't usually go for the romance stuff. I like Grishim and Clancey. The Wolf and the Dove is by far the BEST book I have ever read. I want to write a screen play. The story is wonderful! It is too bad that this book can't be shared by the world via a movie. It would outsell Titanic at the boxoffice. I'm sure of it! Too bad more people don't read. I intend to read it again soon!!! If you have not read it....it is a must!!! Thank you Ms.Woodiwiss for the book of all books!!