en-US Wed, 15 Jan 2025 10:17:31 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 652706 White Knights, Myths and Magic

Tessa St. James thought as little of love as she did of the Arthurian legend—it was just a myth. But when an enchanted tome fell into the lovely teacher's hands, Tessa found that she had to rethink her curriculum.

Suddenly in Merlin's Camelot, Tessa learned that the legend was nothing like she remembered. Galahad the Chaste was everything but—the powerful knight was an expert lover—and not only wizards could weave powerful spells. Still, even in Galahad's hard-muscled embrace, she felt unsure of this man who had seemed a myth. But soon the beautiful skeptic was on a quest as real as her heart, and the grail—and Galahad's love—were within reach. All she had to do was...Believe.]]> 392 Victoria Alexander 0505522675 Scott 3
“Believe” (first published in 1998 under a pseudonym) is a historical romance with a supernatural fairy tale twist.

Tessa St. James is a college professor of mythology at a midwestern university. After one of her lectures, she meets an older gentleman who gives her an extremely old book, entitled “My Life and Times: The Story of Merlin, Wizard Extraordinaire and Counselor to Kings”.

With very little preamble, Tessa finds herself magically transported back in time to Camelot, and she soon finds herself on a quest. Well, not just any quest, of course: The Quest. For the Holy Grail. And she’s partnered with Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot’s son.

The problem is, she doesn’t believe it. At first, she thinks she has been hit by a bus and is in a coma somewhere, and this is all some kind of subconscious delusion. Eventually, though, she realizes that she is actually in Camelot, and it’s real.

As to be expected, romance ensues between Tessa and Galahad. But Tessa’s 21st-century independence and irreverence may not mesh well with Galahad’s well-intentioned if somewhat outdated and sexist chivalry.

Merlin’s hope in bringing Tessa back in time is two-fold: He wants to change the world’s view of Camelot from a forgotten legend-turned-fairy-tale into actual history, but he also wants Galahad to finish his quest. (If you know your Arthurian legends, Galahad fails in his search for the grail, and he dies depressed and disappointed.) Meanwhile, Merlin’s girlfriend, the sorceress Vivianne, is hatching up her own scheme. To what end remains a mystery.

“Believe” is a book that I struggled to not like, but its silliness and humor won me over eventually. In my mind, I immediately cast the movie version, with Reese Witherspoon perfectly playing Tessa, James Marsden as Galahad, Bill Nighy as Merlin, and Helen Mirren as Vivianne.

I have come to find that romance novels’ greatest appeal is working on the universal need to find happiness and love in one’s life. Despite its ridiculous plot, “Believe” managed to succeed in even making me, a natural cynic and pessimist, smile at times.]]> 3.53 1998
author: Victoria Alexander
name: Scott
average rating: 3.53
book published: 1998
rating: 3
read at: 2018/05/10
date added: 2025/01/15
shelves: romance, historical-romance, camelot, beach-read
review:
Victoria Alexander is a best-selling romance novelist with roughly 50 books under her belt. She writes primarily in the historical romance sub-genre, but occasionally she travels out into otherworldly romance sub-genres.

“Believe” (first published in 1998 under a pseudonym) is a historical romance with a supernatural fairy tale twist.

Tessa St. James is a college professor of mythology at a midwestern university. After one of her lectures, she meets an older gentleman who gives her an extremely old book, entitled “My Life and Times: The Story of Merlin, Wizard Extraordinaire and Counselor to Kings”.

With very little preamble, Tessa finds herself magically transported back in time to Camelot, and she soon finds herself on a quest. Well, not just any quest, of course: The Quest. For the Holy Grail. And she’s partnered with Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot’s son.

The problem is, she doesn’t believe it. At first, she thinks she has been hit by a bus and is in a coma somewhere, and this is all some kind of subconscious delusion. Eventually, though, she realizes that she is actually in Camelot, and it’s real.

As to be expected, romance ensues between Tessa and Galahad. But Tessa’s 21st-century independence and irreverence may not mesh well with Galahad’s well-intentioned if somewhat outdated and sexist chivalry.

Merlin’s hope in bringing Tessa back in time is two-fold: He wants to change the world’s view of Camelot from a forgotten legend-turned-fairy-tale into actual history, but he also wants Galahad to finish his quest. (If you know your Arthurian legends, Galahad fails in his search for the grail, and he dies depressed and disappointed.) Meanwhile, Merlin’s girlfriend, the sorceress Vivianne, is hatching up her own scheme. To what end remains a mystery.

“Believe” is a book that I struggled to not like, but its silliness and humor won me over eventually. In my mind, I immediately cast the movie version, with Reese Witherspoon perfectly playing Tessa, James Marsden as Galahad, Bill Nighy as Merlin, and Helen Mirren as Vivianne.

I have come to find that romance novels’ greatest appeal is working on the universal need to find happiness and love in one’s life. Despite its ridiculous plot, “Believe” managed to succeed in even making me, a natural cynic and pessimist, smile at times.
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