Book Review – Always and Evermore

Today I’d like to tell you about some new YA novels…some delightful princessy stories. Author – Jody Hedlund.

First I’ll show you their covers:

Aren’t these just lovely?!

About the books:

ALWAYS

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.

 

and then

EVERMORE

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.

(I’m participating as part of a tour, and if you’re interested, you can view the other tour stops here )

And I also had one of my daughters read these, and she loved them.

Although she didn’t really want to write a review, I asked her what she thought, and so I’ll try to share that here, to my best ability. 😉

Her thoughts:

Although these are princess stories, set in those medieval days, in what feels like a typical princess type of setting, these are not your typical princess/fairy tale retelling. And yet, they are fun to read, exciting, and I really liked them.

she also mentioned that she can’t wait to read the rest of the series. 😉

My thoughts:

On Always…

Wow!
What a novella!
This action packed short story left me only wanting to read the next book right away!
Felicia and Lance are the brave main characters tasked with spiriting away the young princesses, saving their lives when a usurper takes over their father’s kingdom and throne.
Can they protect them? What all will this dangerous undertaking bring into their lives?
Stay tuned!!

I loved the setting of this story, it felt right. I love reading books of this nature, princess types, set in those long ago/medieval days…this story was a delight.
And now, I must go read Evermore to see what happens next!

 

On Evermore….

This story is also a delight to read.

In this one, we get to meet the beautiful Adelaide. On her twentieth birthday, she discovered the truth about who she was–none other than the hidden princess Constance, and the rightful ruler of Mercia. Her two cousins, Mitchell and Christopher, accompany her on a quest to find her two sisters, twins, who have also been in hiding.

Now, they hope to regain rule of their country.

Adelaide has to come to grips with her new found knowledge. Gone is life as she knew it.

The setting is delightful, the twists and turns, engaging, filled with danger, and yes, even suspense. You never know just what to expect. This story kept me reading, and left me wanting more. I can’t wait to read the last two books in this series!!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255