A royal decree
That will change their lives…
Norman knight Rolant Guyarde has come to conquer a Welsh
fort, but when he meets its mistress, he realizes she's the sword-wielding
“soldier” he fought en route! Despite their being enemies, he finds himself
intrigued by the brave, beautiful Princess Gwennan. When they're forced into an
uneasy alliance, Rolant helps her petition the king for her parents' release
from prison. But in exchange for their freedom, the king demands a price
neither Rolant nor Gwennan expects!
Terrific enemies-to-lovers story set during the Norman
attempts to conquer Wales. The author's passion for the history of her country
shows in the vivid descriptions of places, people, and events. The opening
pages were an irresistible hook, and I was glued to the story from start to
finish.
A year earlier, the invading Normans attacked Princess
Gwennan's home. Her brothers and husband were killed, and her parents were taken
prisoner. Gwennan put away her woman's clothes, dressed as a man, and led those
left in a desperate attempt to save her homeland. As the book opens, her troop
is ambushed, and though some escape, Gwennan is captured by the knight, Rolant.
Rolant's mission is to deliver supplies to the garrison
at a recently conquered Welsh fort, then take over its protection. During a
battle against Welsh attackers, Rolant
is shocked to find that the boy he captured is a woman. Rather than throw her
to the wolves (his men), he protects her and keeps her secret. Gwennan's fury
is palpable, and she is vocal in her hatred for the Normans. I enjoyed the
interactions between Gwennan and Rolant, who is amazingly patient with her and
perhaps a little overconfident in his abilities. It was fun to see Gwennan turn
the tables on him and take him prisoner, setting the stage for an intriguing
turn of events.
I liked Rolant. He is a good and honorable man who suffers
from terrible guilt from an incident with his family. His pain is overwhelming and
keeps him from believing that he deserves the love that he craves. I loved his
protectiveness toward Gwennan, which he sees as redemption for his past
mistakes.
Gwennan was a complicated character. The loss of her
husband hit her hard, and she has channeled that pain into her quest to take
back her lands. I liked her care for her people but got frustrated with her
constant attempts to push Rolant away. He was trying to help her, and she
wanted nothing to do with it.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Rolant and Gwennan. Their attraction was evident from the beginning, though
both fought it. For Rolant, his past and sense of honor kept him from taking advantage
of Gwennan, though his feelings for her grew. Her spirit, determination, and
intelligence make her irresistible to him. Gwennan was disturbed by the feelings
Rolant stirred in her, the desire for him, and the guilt that she was
forgetting her husband.
Circumstances force them into a closer relationship, and
both must find a way to put their pasts behind them if they want a future
together. I ached for both as they struggled to put those pasts and fears
behind them. Rolant's explanation of his past was heartwrenching, and I could
feel his pain as he told Gwennan about it and his determination as he finally
put it behind him. Rolant won my heart when he had the love and patience to
give Gwennan the space to work through her feelings and fears and be there when
she was ready to talk about them. The ending was fantastic, and I loved the
epilogue.
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