When Lord Edmund returns from fighting alongside King Richard in the Crusades, he finds that his brother has died in a fire and he is now the duke. He also finds that his childhood friend, Pippa, was injured in the fire, and while she has relocated to a nearby convent to heal, Edmund finds himself hoping she won't take her vows to become a nun. As he sets about to rebuild his burned castle, Edmund also must defend his right to be duke from those who are hoping to replace him. As the dangers around them increase, Pippa realizes she's stronger than she thought and that, working with Edmund, she can contribute more than she believed.
This is my favorite of Sian Ann Bessey's books; I was really drawn into the story. I loved little details about the characters, like how Edmund is bad at dancing and Pippa is good at throwing knives. I also really liked the setting--I haven't read very many medieval stories, so it was really interesting to take a look at that time period, including the relationship the Welsh people nearby. I really liked Edmund's and Pippa's developing romance, set in the larger story, and I appreciate the fact that the conflict in the story wasn't (like so many other books) mainly about each of them believing the other could never possibly want to have a relationship. I loved seeing their loyalty and strength. This was a really enjoyable book!
I received a free review copy. All opinions are my own.
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