by Crystal Caudill | Oct 31, 2023 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
It’s time for another month of the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge: Unlock an Adventure. I’m so excited to join you on an adventure this year with guest reviews from our reading challenge participants. If you want to submit a review for upcoming months, feel free to sign up for a month here and use the Google form to submit your review. As my time has become too limited to do a suggestions post each month, I encourage you to jump over to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page and ask for suggestions from there or from any of a number of amazing reader groups like Avid Readers of Christian Fiction or check out the Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.
*The list of prizes available from my prize shelf can be found here.*
October’s Theme: Medieval Setting
November’s Theme: Archeologist or Paelontologist
Lord of Her Heart
by Sherrinda Ketchersid
Review by: Crystal Caudill
Every once and a while I want to enjoy a good medieval read. Usually, I just reread Lori Wick’s The Knight and the Dove or a fairytale retelling, but it was nice to step into a new story. This story had elements that I love from multiple other stories while still holding its own as a unique story.
The characters made you want to keep reading to see exactly what would happen. Jocelyn has the courage to disguise herself as a boy, going so far as to cut her hair. The author did a realistic job of the challenges and the weaknesses a woman would face trying to pose as a squire–a very physically demanding job. Then you have that gallantry and chivalry of the knight, Malcom, with realistic flaws. He was a hero you could cheer on, and at moments want to slap the sense into. The secondary characters were entertaining and supportive of the main characters.
I love how this story has a knight, jousting, subterfuge, and a bit of mystery and danger. It has definitely been added to my reread pile.
For Fans of: a good medieval story with villains, plots to overthrow, jousting, and a love story that extends into the marriage afterward.
Genre: Historical Romance, Medieval England, 1198Â
Plot Overview:
Lady Jocelyn Ashburne suspects something is amiss at her family’s castle because her father ceases to write to her. When she overhears a plot to force her into vows—either to the church or a husband—she disguises herself and flees the convent in desperation to discover the truth.
Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for. Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite of her conniving ways.Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only way either of them survives.
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget.
*Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Recommendations for November:
- Refuge for the Archaeologist by Danielle Grandinetti
- A Time to Weep by Tracy Higley
- The Curator’s Daughter by Melanie Dobson
- Echoes Among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright
- Among Sand and Sunrise by Stacy Henrie
- The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green
- The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse
- Where We Belong by Lynn Austin
What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?
by Crystal Caudill | Jul 27, 2021 | Book Reviews
His to Keep
by Sherrinda Ketchersid
Ever get caught in the DMV line without a book? Yeah, me too. I am so glad for the Kindle App on my phone. I’d bought and downloaded this book a while ago because I enjoyed Sherrinda’s first book, Lord of Her Heart. I enjoyed this dip into medieval England as much as I enjoyed the first one. Some of my favorite stories are where the hero and heroine are at odds with one another from the beginning. Prejudice stands between Claire and Ian as they are forced into an arranged marriage by the King. Ian desires to prove himself, and Claire desires to protect the only home she’s ever known. To get what they both want, they have to come together and learn to overcome their past experiences. With enemy neighbors and family, a code of honor and chivalry, and lots of fun swordplay, the danger and romance take the reader to an older time of knights and feisty damsels. I especially loved watching Claire overcome her prejudice to learn that not all Scotts are the same and that she can learn to love her enemy.
I recommend this book to any reader who enjoys stories of chivalry, knights, enemy to lover tropes, and stories where prejudices are overcome.
Genre: Historical Romance, Medieval England, 1204
Plot Overview:
He’s fighting for his inheritance—she’s marrying her sworn enemy.
When Ian McGowan attempts to claim Whitfield Castle as his rightful inheritance, he finds himself barred by a tempestuous lass who is entailed to be the bride of the castle’s new owner.
Claire Beaumont, the orphaned ward of Whitfield, has good reason to hate Scots, and she is not about to let a Scot enter her beloved home. But when the handsome knight steals into the castle and proves his claim on the land, she must face her ultimate nightmare—marriage to her sworn enemy—in order to save those she cares about most.
Restoring the failing Whitfield Castle while wooing his defiant intended proves more challenging than Ian anticipated. His struggles reach a crisis when his nemesis arrives at the castle, and he must overcome his past demons to prove his worth. He must fight for what is his to keep—and it could well cost him his heart.
What I loved: I particularly liked the development of the relationship between Ian and Claire. It felt like a realistic tug-of-war, as well as was unique enough to not feel like I’ve read it a million times.
Favorite Character and Why: Claire was a feisty woman who sacrificed her ideal future for the people in her keep and learned to overcome her prejudice despite the tragic history which developed those prejudices.
Who would like this? Any reader who enjoys stories of chivalry, knights, enemy to lover tropes, and stories where prejudices are overcome.
Rating and Why: Five stars. The story was engaging, humorous, swoony at times, and full of action. If you know me, I love my action and scenes of danger.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon   Bookshop.org
by Crystal Caudill | Jun 11, 2019 | Book Reviews
Lord of her Heart
By Sherrinda Ketchersid
I’d heard of this book through word of mouth from my friends and was intrigued, but I held off buying a copy until my favorite book tour group asked for reviewers. I did purchase my own copy for the review, but just needed the extra push to pick it up, and I’m glad that I did.
Every once and a while I want to enjoy a good medieval read. Usually, I just reread Lori Wick’s The Knight and the Dove or a fairytale retelling, but it was nice to step into a new story. This story had elements that I love from multiple other stories while still holding its own as a unique story.
The characters made you want to keep reading to see exactly what would happen. Jocelyn has the courage to disguise herself as a boy, going so far as to cut her hair. The author did a realistic job of the challenges and the weaknesses a woman would face trying to pose as a squire–a very physically demanding job. Then you have that gallantry and chivalry of the knight, Malcom, with realistic flaws. He was a hero you could cheer on, and at moments want to slap the sense into. The secondary characters were entertaining and supportive of the main characters.
I love how this story has a knight, jousting, subterfuge, and a bit of mystery and danger. It has definitely been added to my reread pile.
Genre: Historical Romance, England, 1198 AD (aka Medieval)
Plot Overview:
Lady Jocelyn Ashburne suspects something is amiss at her family’s castle because her father ceases to write to her. When she overhears a plot to force her into vows—either to the church or a husband—she disguises herself and flees the convent in desperation to discover the truth.Â
Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for. Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite of her conniving ways.Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only way either of them survives.
What I loved: Two things: 1. The jousting, because who doesn’t like a good jousting tournament. 2. I love how Jocelyn and Malcom must work together to each get what they want, but the deception used by the Jocelyn for her own protection, ends up working against her in the relationship with Malcom. It added a certain depth that helped me sink into the story.
Favorite Character and Why: I liked Jocelyn and Malcom a lot, but I can’t resist saying Horse was my favorite character. It absolutely cracked me up that Malcom couldn’t come up with a better name for his steed.
Who would like this? Anyone who loves a good medieval story with villains, plots to overthrow, jousting, and a love story that extends into the marriage afterward.
Rating and Why: Four stars. The story was enjoyable and something I will reread. It wasn’t so stand out in my mind as to get a five star, but it is something I will enjoy many times.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon Barnes and Noble
