A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund: A Book Review

A Daring Sacrifice
Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: YA, Christian, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Pages: 222
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: In a reverse twist on the Robin Hood story, a young medieval maiden stands up for the rights of the mistreated, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. All the while, she fights against her cruel uncle who has taken over the land that is rightfully hers. Forced to live in the woods and hide with the poor people she's grown to love, she works to save and protect them, but she never anticipates falling in love with the wealthy knight who represents all she's come to despise.

      My Review: A Daring Sacrifice is a retelling of Robin Hood. Juliana, once the rightful heir of Wessex, seeks refuge in the woods to hide from her uncle who wants to capture her. Juliana steals from the rich and gives to the poor. However, what Juliana never expected was to fall in love with a wealthy knight. She has to make a choice between her duty and her heart.

     Juliana is a likable protagonist. She is feisty and daring. She is also outspoken and stubborn. She is not a damsel in distress and can take care of herself. She does make irrational decisions at times  but she has good intentions. She is very judgmental, especially against the nobility because they have done nothing to help the poor. Eventually, she begins to see past her prejudice against the nobility and to see each person as they are. Juliana is also a very compassionate person. She is also a loyal friend. She is a woman who is willing to risk her life to save those she loves. Thus, I found Juliana to be a strong female character, and I like how she grows into a mature and capable young woman throughout the novel.

     The hero in this story is Collin, who is the rejected knight who pursued Rosemarie in An Uncertain Choice. In the first novel, I found Collin to be my least favorite character. His personality was very repugnant, and he came across as arrogant and selfish. He had no concern for the poor and believed that money can buy everything. When I realized that he was the hero for A Daring Sacrifice, I was hesitant to read it because I did not like Collin. However, after reading it, I found myself pleasantly surprised. Collin is egotistical in the beginning, but when he meets Juliana he undergoes a great character change. Collin becomes compassionate and slowly begins to care for those around him. Collin also realizes what true love is. He understands that love is to put others before himself. When Collin learns this, he begins to put it into practice. He makes small sacrifices for Juliana. Eventually, he is willing to lay down his life for her. Therefore, I really loved Collin, for he has grown into a mature young man.

     Overall, this book is about friendship, love, choices, and sacrifice. The message of the story is to love one another and to be willing to lay down your life for another. The story is action-packed and fast-paced. I liked all the characters for they were fresh and fun. I  felt that the cliffhanger at the end was unnecessary. I would also have liked there to be more appearances by Sir Derrick, the hero in An Uncertain Choice. Nevertheless, this was a light, sweet love story. I recommend this book to those who are fans of the Robin Hood legend and for those who enjoy stories where characters must choose between love, duty, and life.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars