White Heat

This is the second in the projected trilogy (‘Perfect Fire’) of which the first title was The Blue Flame, and continues the story of Raimon and Yolanda and their fight for the independence of the Occitain, a region in 13th-century France which is under threat from the Catholic King and his supporters. The first book ended with Raimon being rescued from the pyre and Yolanda being taken to Paris by Sir Hugh, to whom she had been given in marriage by her brother Aimery.

This second title suffers from indigestion at the beginning, even for this reader who had reviewed the first title, as the unfamiliar and complicated historical background together with the events of the first story are relayed to the reader. It also gives the reader the impression that this book does not stand alone which in fact  it does after the background has been digested. Yolanda is a spunky heroine and together with Laila, the wild girl she meets on the way to Paris, they ensure that the rather nice Sir Hugh does not stand a chance to make his marriage succeed. Their plan to hoodwink him into marrying Laila in disguise does not work, but he does not enforce his rights, and on travelling back to Castelneuf to capture the Blue Flame which is the symbol of the Occitain, manages to allow Raimon and Yolanda to travel together back to Paris to surrender the flame to the King. They are captured, Laila appears to betray them and there is an exciting rescue when Raimon’s honour will not let him allow Sir Hugh to die in the fire. So the scene is set for the last in the trilogy.

The complicated backdrop of French history becomes more clear as the story progresses, the plot is exciting, and the characters real and honourable enough to ensure the reader’s engagement and enjoyment.