Review: "Always" by Jody Hedlund

A few years ago, Jody Hedlund, one of my favorite historical romance writers, penned a medieval YA series that I absolutely loved. (See my reviews of the books in that series here.) Though Hedlund has wrapped up that series, she isn't finished writing medieval YA; Always is the opening novella in her upcoming The Lost Princesses series!

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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.

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Prequel novellas seem to be the "in" thing lately. Sometimes, these novellas are just a fun "extra" ... and other times, they're vital to the story. Always is definitely the latter, as it introduces the three Lost Princesses and explains how they came to be lost.

Always is the story of Lady Felicia and Lance, a member of the king's guard, who escape the castle with the three princesses once new king Ethelwulf overtakes the throne. They're reluctant to work together at first (especially Lance), but they soon come to depend on each other as they flee with a three-year-old and twin infants.

The action is fast and furious; the romance aspect (between Felicia and Lance, of course) doesn't hit until at least the halfway point. I'm always all about the romance, and so that's the point in the novella when it became "unputdownable" for me. I loved Felicia and Lance together, and I hope that we'll get to see them again in the series. (Based on how the novella ended, we should; but, of course, there are no guarantees.)

This novella wonderfully sets up the Lost Princesses series, and I'm very eager to dive into Evermore, which releases at the end of the month. 4 stars.

Buy the book. (It's free in Kindle Unlimited.)
Read my reviews of Hedlund's An Uncertain Choice series: The Vow (4 stars), An Uncertain Choice (5 stars), A Daring Sacrifice (4-1/2 stars), For Love & Honor (5 stars), A Loyal Heart (5 stars), and A Worthy Rebel (5 stars).

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Winner of the 2016 Christian Book Award and Christy Award, 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.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."