I'm so excited that Jody Hedlund has written another medieval series! After releasing the prequel novella for The Lost Princesses series earlier this month, she's back with book one, Evermore, and it's so good!
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 tells the story of Adelaide, one of the Lost Princesses of Mercia and true heir to the throne. (Please do read the prequel novella, Always, before reading Evermore, as Always sets up the story and explains why the princesses are lost.)
Upon the death of the only mother she can remember, Adelaide learns that she is really Princess Constance, heir to the Mercia throne. Her "cousins" Mitchell and Christopher vow to help her as she embraces her destiny and searches for her twin sisters.
Adelaide is a strong woman (as are many of Hedlund's heroines), yet she also has a soft heart. As she comes to terms with her unexpected fate, she turns to the Lord for wisdom, and her strength combined with her compassion cause people to follow her.
It took me a while to get behind the coupling of Christopher and Adelaide (largely because I wasn't a fan of Christopher at first, though he won me over), but by about the halfway point, I was fully on board. But even when I wasn't "shipping" Christopher and Adelaide, I was still tearing through the pages! This is an adventure story, and it's completely engaging from beginning to end. It's also wholly appropriate for teens (and maybe even preteens)—I highly recommend it and can't wait for the next novel! 4-1/2 stars.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Always (4 stars) and the 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).
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."
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Aw, that's the best! When a character can win a read over after a not-so-grand first impression. That's the sign of a good author. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, Jody's the best :-)
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