Always (The Lost Princesses #.5) by Jody HedlundDate Published: August 13, 2019
Publisher: 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.
Always is the prequel novella to the Lost Princesses series by Jody Hedlund. This was the perfect introduction to a new series. I loved the romance here. It was sweet and innocent. They were awkward and cute as they got to know each other. Felicia and Lance were completely precious. I loved their determination to keep these princesses safe. It came with a lifetime of danger. Most would have run away to save themselves, but these two put the princesses and the vows they made to the king and queen first. I completely enjoyed this story, and I can't wait to see what's in store for the princesses as they grow up.
The ARC of Always by Jody Hedlund were kindly provided to me by Prism Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.
Evermore (The Lost Princesses #1) by Jody HedlundDate Published: August 27, 2019
Publisher: 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.
Evermore is the first book in the Lost Princesses series by Jody Hedlund. This story was packed with suspense and adventure. There was always something happening. It kept me thoroughly glued to its pages. Adelaide is fierce! She's a super strong character, yet she still has her human moments, making her completely believable. I was enamored with Christopher right off the bat too. I knew he was a keeper. I was completely drawn into their lives... the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all. And yes, it even made me cry... dang it! There were many humorous moments as well though. This book has so much going for it. I highly recommend this one.
A funny little side note: Whenever I came across "Mercia" in the text, I kept hearing "Merica" in my head. Lord help me. I've been in the South too long. ;-)
The ARC of Evermore by Jody Hedlund were kindly provided to me by Prism Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.
We’d won.
Tears stung my eyes, and I was glad for the great helm hiding them. I wasn’t prone to fits of weeping or emotion. But this victory meant we could pay our debts to the physician. We’d already used his services countless times over recent weeks. Now he refused to come again until we paid him for his previous visits. With the diminished supply of the particularly rare and exotic powder that came from embalmed mummies, we needed the physician to bring Aunt Susanna more.
I glanced to where Mitchell stood and prayed I’d be able to convince my cousin of our need to ride out tonight after we were presented with our prize. Mitchell was never one to forgo a feast when available. But with the direness of his mother’s health, maybe he would listen to reason this time.
Lord Mortimer’s squires had begun to assist him to his feet. From what I could assess, he’d been stunned but hadn’t suffered any serious injury. Even if I didn’t harbor fondness for the imposing lord, I still wished him no ill on account of our joust.
The herald blew the bugle again, quieting the crowd. Before he could pronounce me the winner, a harried and breathless man burst through the onlookers. “Sir Mitchell!” he shouted.
I swiveled toward Mitchell, and then realized the man was speaking to me. That he, like everyone else, believed I was Mitchell.
The newcomer towered above the other spectators by several handbreadths. I immediately recognized the thin stature and earnest expression. Tall John, our steward. From his red face and the perspiration ring at his hatband, I guessed he had travelled strenuously and without stopping.
“I have news!” he shouted. “Urgent news regarding your mother, the Countess of Langley.”
My heart dropped into the base of my chest, leaving a painful empty void in its place. If Tall John had ridden several hours to find us, he surely didn’t bear good tidings. I feared the worst.
“She is on her deathbed,” Tall John called, heedless of the mass of people witnessing our exchange. “And she asks that you return home with all haste.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I was glad for the great helm hiding them. I wasn’t prone to fits of weeping or emotion. But this victory meant we could pay our debts to the physician. We’d already used his services countless times over recent weeks. Now he refused to come again until we paid him for his previous visits. With the diminished supply of the particularly rare and exotic powder that came from embalmed mummies, we needed the physician to bring Aunt Susanna more.
I glanced to where Mitchell stood and prayed I’d be able to convince my cousin of our need to ride out tonight after we were presented with our prize. Mitchell was never one to forgo a feast when available. But with the direness of his mother’s health, maybe he would listen to reason this time.
Lord Mortimer’s squires had begun to assist him to his feet. From what I could assess, he’d been stunned but hadn’t suffered any serious injury. Even if I didn’t harbor fondness for the imposing lord, I still wished him no ill on account of our joust.
The herald blew the bugle again, quieting the crowd. Before he could pronounce me the winner, a harried and breathless man burst through the onlookers. “Sir Mitchell!” he shouted.
I swiveled toward Mitchell, and then realized the man was speaking to me. That he, like everyone else, believed I was Mitchell.
The newcomer towered above the other spectators by several handbreadths. I immediately recognized the thin stature and earnest expression. Tall John, our steward. From his red face and the perspiration ring at his hatband, I guessed he had travelled strenuously and without stopping.
“I have news!” he shouted. “Urgent news regarding your mother, the Countess of Langley.”
My heart dropped into the base of my chest, leaving a painful empty void in its place. If Tall John had ridden several hours to find us, he surely didn’t bear good tidings. I feared the worst.
“She is on her deathbed,” Tall John called, heedless of the mass of people witnessing our exchange. “And she asks that you return home with all haste.”
Check out my reviews of other books by this author!
Winner of the 2016 Christian Book Award for fiction and Christy Award for historical romance, best-selling author Jody Hedlund writes inspirational historical romances for both youth and adults.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.
