Skip to main content

An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund: A Book Review

An Uncertain Choice
Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: YA, Christian, Romance, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 252
Source: Personal Collection
Synopsis: Due to her parents' promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, a month before her birthday, a friend of her father's enters the kingdom and proclaims her parents' will left a second choice--if Rosemarie can marry before the eve of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow.

     Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the competition for her heart seemingly results in a knight playing foul, she begins to wonder if the convent is the best place after all. If only one of the knights--the one who appears the most guilty--had not already captured her heart.

     My Review: An Uncertain Choice is a medieval Bachelorette. Lady Rosemarie is forced to enter the convent when she turns eighteen. She is reluctantly prepared for her life as a nun, when her godfather, the Duke of Rivenshire finds a new alternative to Rosemarie’s fate. If she can marry for true love before she turns eighteen then she would not have to enter the convent. The duke then brings Rosemarie to his three knights hoping that she will fall in love with one of them. Each of the knights court her until Rosemarie can find which knight is her true love. Can Rosemarie escape her destiny to enter the convent or does God have something else planned for her?

     I did not really like Rosemarie all that much. She seems like an undeveloped character. All we know is that she cares for the poor and is really beautiful. Other than that, she comes across as a selfish person. She thinks about herself all the time. She does not seem to care for other people or ask the knights and the duke for what they want. She does not ask them what she will do for them, rather it is what they will do for her. I really did not see her as a caring person. Instead, her compassion for the poor seemed to be rather shallow, for she is wanted to be seen as a great lady to her people. I also did not think that she was smart, for some of the choices she made were not bright. Also, Rosemarie was a damsel-in-distress and always needed saving. Thus, I found her to be a weak character and was not given much depth.

      Overall, this book is about love and choices. The message of the book is that it is our hardest trials where we see God’s love. The characters were one-dimensional, and there was not really much of a plot in this novel. Instead much of the story revolves around her courtship with three men to see whom she likes the best. The story was also very predictable. Another thing that I did not like about this book was that the ending had an unnecessary cliffhanger. For those of you who are looking for a light, quick, Christian medieval  love story, you might enjoy this book. However, this book falls short with other YA, Christian medieval romances. I recommend Melanie Dickerson’s or Dina L. Sleiman’s books instead. 

Rating: 2½ out of 5 stars




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Interview with Melanie Karsak

Today, I have the pleasure of having an interview with Melanie Karsak! I have read and enjoyed her many series of books on some of history's more obscure or misunderstood women. Often, little is known about their true histories, either from not being recorded because of their gender and the unimportance given to women or else intentional character assassination. Mrs. Karsak seeks to bring light where much is shrouded in darkness. As a result, we are enriched by their lives and these fascinating women can speak to us through the centuries. In this interview, Mrs. Karsak talks about what drew her to these women and her writing pro cess! Thank you Mrs. Karsak! You have written books on Lady MacBeth, Hervor, Queen Boudica, Queen Cartimandua, and now Freydis. What drew you to write about these women? I like the unsung and maligned heroines. Hervor is a significant character in the Norse Hervarar Saga . In fact, there are two Hervors in that tale—grandmother and granddaughter. But ...

A Nurse's Tale by Ola Awonubi: A Book Review

A Nurse’s Tale Author: Ola Awonubi Genre: Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Romance  Publisher: One More Chapter  Publication Date: 2023 Pages: 385 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review  Synopsis: Born Nigerian royalty, Princess Adenrele Ademola trained as a nurse at Guy’s Hospital in London and stepped up to serve the people of Britain when war broke out – facing both the devastation of the Blitz and the prejudice of some of the people she was trying to help.    80 years later, Ade’s great-niece Yemi arrives in London clutching the Princess’s precious diaries and longs to uncover the mysteries they hold…      A richly-detailed, compelling historical novel shining a light on a hidden voice of WW2 and one woman’s courageous contribution to Britain.        My Review: Princess Adenrele Ademola was a Princess of Egbaland and a nurse during WWII. A Nurse’s Tale chronicles Princess Adenrele...

Marie Von Clausewitz: The Woman Behind The Making Of On War by Vanya Eftimova Bellinger: A Book Review

Marie von Clausewitz: The Woman Behind the Making of On War Author: Vanya Eftimova Bellinger Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, History Publisher: Oxford University Press Release Date: October 1st, 2015 Pages: 312 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: The marriage between Carl von Clausewitz and Countess Marie von Brühl was a remarkable intellectual partnership. Many historians have noted the instrumental role Marie played in the creation, development, and particularly in the posthumous editing and publishing of Clausewitz's opus, On War , which remains the seminal text on military theory and strategic thinking. Highly intelligent and politically engaged, Marie was also deeply involved in her husband's military career and advancement, and in the nationalist politics of 19th-century Prussia. Yet apart from peripheral consideration of her obvious influence on Clausewitz and on the preservation of his legacy, very little has been written...