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Age Appropriate For: 16 and up (for marital themes)
Best for ages: 18 and up
Description: Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman. Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a dire winter if they do not find a solution soon. When she learns her cousin sold her into marriage to save his life, she isn’t surprised. However, she is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier? Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and villains from the past. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other. Failure could mean death.
I was so excited when Rachel asked me to review this book. Although I have followed her blog and Facebook page, I had yet to read one of her books. After reading Duty, I can't wait to read another book by her.
This book kept me turning pages. From the opening line, I was hooked. It was fast paced but not dazzlingly so. I also instantly connected with Tomas and Brielle and loved getting to know them.
This story, though set in a fictional country, felt well researched. As a history buff whose favorite time period is the Middle Ages, I was very impressed with the historical aspects of this book. I especially liked the attitudes displayed by the women at the beginning of the book. To often, we put our 21st century ideas of love, and marriage into historical fiction. Women didn't expect to marry for love, or even marry someone they knew well. They may have wanted that, but it wasn't the expectation.
The romance was so sweet. I just loved how it unfolded. Because the characters are married for most of the book, and the romance comes after marriage, this book is for older audiences However, Rachel was very discreet and so a someone in their middle teens might like it.
I highly recommend this book for those who like romance.
I received this story from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.