On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Always
(The Lost Princesses #0.5)
By Jody Hedlund
Christian YA Historical Romance
Paperback & ebook, 136 Pages
August 13th 2019 by Northern Lights Press
A fierce elite guard. A loyal lady in waiting. They must work together to save three princesses from certain death.
On the verge of dying after giving birth to twins, the queen of Mercia pleads with Lady Felicia to save her infant daughters. With the castle overrun by King Ethelwulf’s invading army, Lady Felicia vows to do whatever she can to take the newborn princesses and their three-year old sister to safety, even though it means sacrificing everything she holds dear, possibly her own life.
Gravely wounded in battle and knowing all is lost to his enemy, the king of Mercia tasks Lance, one of his fiercest elite guards, to protect his family along with keys to an ancient treasure. As Lance makes plans to sneak the princesses out of the capital city, he doesn’t need or want Lady Felicia’s help.
With the dark enemy in pursuit, Lance and Felicia must put aside their differences to outrun King Ethelwulf and prevent him from killing the princesses. In a desperate attempt to hide the young girls, Lance and Felicia agree to a marriage of convenience, a decision that will change their lives—and hearts—forever.
My Review: I started the series reading this novella, then moved on to the Evermore. I think that this prequel could probably be skipped without loosing much, though there are a few tidbits which flesh out small portions of Evermore and potentially the other books as well.
The story in this was not as interesting to me as I would have liked. There were portions of it that felt like a fantasy, while the story overall didn't include that as an element. I've also never been a fan of stories where the conflict is in the characters themselves placing barriers to their being together.
However, I did like Felicia and her determination to work with what life has dealt to her. She doesn't once complain or wish for her old life back, but jumps into doing what she needs to in that moment. And that made her a strong heroine without her ever having had to lift a sword. For those who enjoy the rest of the series, this is a nice addition that gives a little bit more of the story world.
I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy of the book through Prism Book Tours.
(Affiliate links included.)
Also FREE through KindleUnlimited
Evermore
(The Lost Princesses #1)
By Jody Hedlund
Christian YA Historical
Paperback & ebook, 222 Pages
August 27th 2019 by Northern Lights Press
An ancient key. A secret treasure. And a princess destined to use them both to fight evil and restore peace.
Raised by a noble family, Lady Adelaide has always known she’s an orphan. Little does she realize she’s one of the lost princesses and the true heir to Mercia’s throne…until a visitor arrives at her family estate, reveals her birthright as queen, and thrusts her into a quest for the throne whether she’s ready or not.
Unable to tolerate King Ethelwulf’s cruelty and lawlessness, Christopher Langley left Mercia years earlier, training a group of rebels in neighboring Norland. When he returns home after his mother’s death, he discovers that not only is Adelaide all grown up, but she’s also the rightful queen of Mercia.
When King Ethelwulf discovers Adelaide’s location, he’ll stop at nothing to capture her and the key she holds to the ancient treasure. Christopher is just as determined to protect Adelaide so she can lead the growing rebellion. When feelings ignite between the two old friends, forces threaten to destroy their love and rip them apart forever.
My Review: After having read Always, I found that I enjoyed this story much more than I had the novella. The moment I realized that Adelaide was able to fight on her own, though not perhaps as well as an Elite Guard, I knew that she was going to be an interesting character.
The relationship Adelaide has with Christopher is an adorable one, and the hesitance in their relationship a reasonable one due to her new found status as Queen. And while I would have preferred that there not have been any romantic interest on the part of Mitchell, I will say that Jody used this trope to the story's advantage.
For anyone looking to pick up this series, know that it is a sweet, fairy tale like romance. Yet there are also darker moments of torture and execution which occur off page. This gives more depth to Ethelwulf's cruelty, but may bother some readers.
I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy from Prism Book Tours.
My Review: After having read Always, I found that I enjoyed this story much more than I had the novella. The moment I realized that Adelaide was able to fight on her own, though not perhaps as well as an Elite Guard, I knew that she was going to be an interesting character.
The relationship Adelaide has with Christopher is an adorable one, and the hesitance in their relationship a reasonable one due to her new found status as Queen. And while I would have preferred that there not have been any romantic interest on the part of Mitchell, I will say that Jody used this trope to the story's advantage.
For anyone looking to pick up this series, know that it is a sweet, fairy tale like romance. Yet there are also darker moments of torture and execution which occur off page. This gives more depth to Ethelwulf's cruelty, but may bother some readers.
I have provided an honest review after having received an ecopy from Prism Book Tours.
(Affiliate links included.)
Also FREE through KindleUnlimited
Other Books in the Series
Coming late September and October. Pre-order now! (Affiliate links included.)
About the Author
Jody Hedlund is a best-selling and award-winning author who loves fairy-tales and happily-ever-afters. She makes her home in Midland, MI with her husband and five teen-aged children. When she’s not writing another of her page-turning stories, you can usually find her sipping coffee, eating chocolate, and reading.
Tour Schedule
Tour Giveaway
One winner will receive the prequel and all three books in The Lost Princesses series (Always, Evermore, Foremost and Hereafter) in paperback or ebook (winner's choice, if winner is outside the US ebooks only)
Ends September 25, 2019
Thank you for hosting me as part of the blog tour! :-)
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