Series:
Legendary Warriors (Book 2)
To claim what should be his…
He must claim her!
Piers of Grevershire might have been born illegitimate,
but he'll fight for the land he knows is his. To do so, he must win Lady
Gwendoline's hand in marriage! What starts as a secret mission of vengeance soon
becomes more as Gwen's unique fire ignites a powerful connection between them.
And when they're married, Piers finds earning Gwen's trust means revealing his
true identity -- and the betrayal that risks destroying their fledgling bond…
This book is a companion to the first book in the series,
The Iron Warrior Returns, taking place mostly concurrently. The first book was
about Robert, the legitimate heir to Penrith,
and his fight to regain his lands after the current Earl of Penrith took
them. This book is about Piers, Robert's illegitimate half-brother, and his
desire to have those same lands.
Lady Gwen is the only child of the current Earl of
Penrith, and he is holding a contest to find the best man to marry her and
inherit his lands. The earl is a cruel and controlling man who has kept Gwen a
virtual prisoner and told her he has already picked her husband, no matter who
wins.
Piers decided the best way for him to win, other than
winning the contests, is to get to Gwen and convince her he's the only one for
her. But Gwen isn't the sheltered miss he thinks she is, and their first
encounter stirs a fire in both. Their secret meetings were great, and I
especially loved the one where they practiced archery together. But her father
figured out something was going on and interfered. Piers is still determined to
marry her, and Gwen wants to escape her father's control, so they attempt to run
together. Multiple twists throw up obstacles to their intentions, but eventually,
they are able to marry.
Piers has serious self-esteem issues due to his birth,
lack of acceptance by his father, and his grim childhood. He hasn't told Gwen
about his illegitimacy, afraid she will refuse to marry him if she knows. I
loved Gwen's strength and determination as she eventually wrested some of his
story from him. She's dismayed by the knowledge that he has nothing but is
determined to make their marriage work. There is a fantastic section where they
show up at one of her father's other properties, where Piers gets a crash
course on medieval nobility and how to act like he belongs.
That went quite well, and I loved seeing Piers and Gwen
working together to improve conditions. But there is trouble on the horizon, as
the earl is on the move and furious at Gwen's foiling of his plans. His actions
emphasize his cruelty and egomania. The pair get some surprising news from
Robert, but the earl's vow of vengeance means they won't be free to enjoy it
while he is determined to take them down. Their final confrontation is a
nail-biter, and I loved how it ended.
I enjoyed the parts in common with Robert's books and
comparing the events from the two opposing points of view. It was easy to see
why Robert and Piers had a strained relationship initially and how events
helped them overcome their issues. The epilogue was terrific.
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