About the book: After years spent fighting alongside King Richard in the crusades, Lord Edmund of Hawksford is finally returning to his ancestral home. But far from a joyful reunion, what awaits his is devastation. his elder brother is dead, killed in a tragic fire at Hawksford Castle—and the title of duke now falls to Edmund.
When he strives to rebuild the fire-scarred castle, Edmund learns that his was not the only life the fire shattered: his childhood friend Lady Phillipa survived the flames that took Edmund's brother, but badly burned, she has hidden herself away from those she loves. yet as the pair renews their acquaintance, they find that their affection runs deep—perhaps even deeper than they'd ever realized.
As Edmund and Pippa begin to question whether the fire was truly an accident, they must discover the truth of the past before they can plan for their future. While coming perilously close to the answers they seek, Edmund and Pippa find themselves at the mercy of a dangerous foe who will stop at nothing to lay claim on Hawksford—and he will destroy any who stand in his way.
My review: You can usually tell just how much I like a book by how quickly I read (or maybe devour is a better word!) it. I read this book so fast! I read it all on the same day. I didn't want to put it down until I found out what happened to Edmund and Pippa and all the other amazing characters from this story.
I loved Pippa. I felt sad for all she had gone through and how she suffered from it still. I imagine that being among people was hard for her after she'd been burned by the fire. And even if no one else noticed the burns she suffered from, they would have seemed to be more obvious than they really were to her. I loved that she was courageous though, and that's why she had the burns. I noticed several points during the story where she would have rather shrunk and not done anything, but she fought on and was courageous. I LOVED her character!
Then there's Edmund. I was afraid for him after the opening bit, but luckily he reappeared later in the story. He is a hero, and a good man. He could have let the things he had seen during war and his injury cripple him and not come back to his home himself, but he chose to move past everything he'd been through. And he came out stronger, strong enough to fight the evil he needed to fight and do it well.
The plot of this one is packed full of action and adventure. There's fires, dangerous caves, evil men enough that you don't know who the characters can trust, and of course a love story! All of these things keep the plot moving and interesting. I didn't want to stop reading, for fear I'd miss something. I couldn't wait to see just what was going to happen.
This isn't a time period that you see written about very often anymore and that makes this book stand out. It really is great, make sure you take time to read it!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase Links: Amazon - Deseret Book
About the author: Sian Ann Bessey was born in Cambridge, England, and grew up on the island of Anglesey off the north coast of Wales. She left Wales to attend Brigham Young University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications.
Traveling has given Sian a deep appreciation for a world full of diverse cultures. Through her writing, she introduces her readers to some of the places she has come to love— especially her Welsh homeland.
Sian is the author of several LDS novels and children’s books. She has also written articles for the New Era, Ensign, and Liahona magazines. She and her husband, Kent, currently reside in Rexburg, Idaho. They are the parents of five children and the grandparents of two beautiful little girls and one handsome little boy.
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Labels: clean historical romance, Covenant Communications, Sian Ann Bessey
About the book: After years spent fighting alongside King Richard in the crusades, Lord Edmund of Hawksford is finally returning to his ancestral home. But far from a joyful reunion, what awaits his is devastation. his elder brother is dead, killed in a tragic fire at Hawksford Castle—and the title of duke now falls to Edmund.