Showing posts with label An Uncertain Choice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label An Uncertain Choice. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

A Loyal Heart (An Uncertain Choice #4)


     In An Uncertain Choice, Jody Hedlund took us back to medieval times and introduced us to three knights in shining armor and a strong woman that catches their eye.

     A Loyal Heart continues Hedlund's YA series with characters introduced in the previous books. This newest release is filled with the same magnificence of the previous releases: Chivalrous knights in battle, a virtuous and strong Lady, romance—all in captivating medieval settings.

      Lady Olivia will do anything for family loyalty, rationalizing her actions to fit her faith. And she will risk her life to protect her younger sister. Lady Olivia is skilled with her sword, though still unable to keep herself and her sister from capture.

     Sir Aldric has walked away from his birthright, punishing himself for his past mistakes. He is now the captain of Lord Pitt’s army, and has been sent to capture an enemy’s daughters to use as leverage. Will holding them hostage persuade their father to succumb to the King’s leadership and stop his rebellion?

     This story holds a strong lesson about family loyalty versus morality. A promise versus virtue.  I especially love this series for young readers, as it gives a beautiful example of what true romance is when it comes to a wholesome relationship. In other words, how you would want a young man to treat your own daughter. The YA genre seems to be lacking in this area today. I’m so glad Hedlund has decided to fill the void.
     
     Hedlund uses two POVs—one from Sir Aldric's perspective, and the other in first person from Lady Olivia's.


     As I stated in my review of her previous YA release, I particularly love the way this author paints women as capable rather than powerless. Even though this leading lady is on more than one occasion a damsel in distress, needing rescue from a knight in shining armor, Hedlund still portrays her as a woman of strong character—courageous in the face of danger. And in this installment, Lady Olivia becomes the rescuer!

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     As with all her other books in this series, Hedlund paints vivid descriptions. She’s also done her homework on the technical aspects of the medieval period. Well edited, this story has a great pace. You won’t want to put it down.
   
     Even though this series is listed as Young Adult, it is enjoyable for all ages. I’ve read them all, and I highly recommend you do, too. Knights in shining armor—what’s not to love! 

     If you'd like to read the entire series, the Noble Knights Collection is available for Kindle as well as most other e-readers. It contains the first four books of the series.

     The prequel to this series is only available in e-book format, while the others are available in paperback, hardback and audio formats.

         Prequel to An Uncertain Choice

Books available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Christianbooks.com

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Review of For Love and Honor by Jody Hedlund


Prequel to the Series



We first met Sir Bennet in The Vow: Prequel to An Uncertain Choice, but this book can be read as a stand-alone story. Though, having read the entire series, I highly recommend reading them all. Three knights in shining armor—what’s not to love!


Sir Bennet returns home to find that his brother has driven the family into debt, and time has run out for repayment to the neighboring lords. Without repayment, there is imminent danger of an attack. Sir Bennet’s mother convinces him—much against his honorable heart—that the only way to save his family’s land and collection of valuable artifacts is to marry a wealthy noblewoman.
 
Lady Sabine was born with a skin blemish—one that she keeps hidden for fear of being labeled a witch! She is convinced that no man would ever love her with such a disfigurement. Her grandmother, learning of the financial woes of Sir Bennet, has plans for an arranged marriage. Can Sir Bennet set aside his honorable values and marry for money? What will he do when he discovers his only recourse to war might be marriage to a woman branded as a witch?

 
This latest installment in the Uncertain Choice series, like the others in this series, is filled with knights in battle, chivalry, and virtue. While Hedlund’s lead characters are quite likeable, her villains are as loathsome as they come. 

I particularly love the way this author paints women as capable rather than powerless. Even though this leading lady is on more than one occasion a damsel in distress, needing rescue from a knight in shining armor, Hedlund still portrays her as a woman of strong character—courageous in the face of danger.
  

This story has a very good lesson about self-acceptance. As Lady Sabine comes to the realization that God had created her with this blemish purposefully—that she was unique, and should embrace her qualities rather than live in shame. In this world that places so much emphasis on physical looks, it is refreshing to have a heroine who is not painted as exquisitely beautiful.

This story moves at a very good pace. It’s a definite page turner—I read it in two sittings. As always, the descriptive writing and settings are lusciously wonderful and the technical aspects impeccable—just as I’ve come to expect from this author.

Even though this series is listed under the genre Young Adult,
it is quite appealing to old ladies like me.

You can learn more about this series at Jody Hedlund's website.