Chivalrous (Valiant Hearts Series #2) by Dina L. Sleiman: A Book Review

Chivalrous (Valiant Hearts Series #2)
Author: Dina L. Sleiman
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Christian
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 368
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: With Her Future In Jeopardy, This Unforgettable Heroine Won't Go Down
Without a Fight!

Strong and adventurous Gwendolyn Barnes longs to be a knight like her chivalrous brothers, but her parents view her only as a marriage pawn. When her domineering father makes plans to see her wed to a brutish man, Gwendolyn must fight for her future.

She's surprised, however, for that clash to include a handsome, good-hearted newcomer. Allen of Ellsworth arrives in Edendale searching for his place in the world, but he finds in Gwendolyn the most unexpected of women.

Tournaments, intrigue, and battles--along with twists and turns aplenty--await these two as they struggle to find love, identity, and their true destinies.

My Review: Gwendolyn longs for adventures and to be a knight in shining armor. However, because she is a baron’s daughter, she must marry for the good of her family. She must play her part as a noblewoman by doing embroidery and playing a pipe. One day, she decides to defy her parents and fight in the tournament herself. Her opponent is Sir Allen. Soon, Sir Allen captures her heart, and the two of them must brave all obstacles to be together.

Gwendolyn is a fun character. She is a skilled fighter. She is romantic and loves to hear tales of adventures. She yearns for freedom, and wants to control her own life. She is also stubborn and and strong-willed. Gwendolyn really reminded me a lot of the character, Merida, in the Disney movie, Brave. I also like that at first, she was not very religious. Yet, over time she has a strong relationship with God. It is God, who gives her strength, comfort, and love that she desperately seeks when she is encountered in rough situations.

I also liked Sir Allen. He is a man of virtue. He studies the scriptures everyday. He is also blessed with good fortune because of his good heart. During the tournament, he forfeits his competition to save a little boy. Because of his heroic deed, the duke grants him a place on the council. However, after the duke’s death the council chose him to marry the duchess and to be the new duke. Allen is blinded by ambition and greed. Allen becomes lost and blind, and he must find his way and listen to his heart.

Overall, this book is about friendship, choices, hope, and love. The message of the book is to trust in God’s love and to follow your heart. The story is fast-paced and filled with interesting characters. It is filled with action, adventure, and romance. I like how the story also has some aspects to King Arthur. While the novel is part of a series, it is a standalone. I am definitely going to read the first novel in the series, and I am looking forward to the series. I recommend this book to fans of Melanie Dickerson, Tamara Leigh, and Jody Hedlund.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) by Lucinda Riley: A Book Review

The Seven Sisters (The Seven Sisters #1) Author: Lucinda Riley Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Atria Release Date: 2015 Pages: 463 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings. Eighty years earlier in Rio’s Belle Epoque of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to

A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower by Patricia Bernstein: A Book Review

A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower Author: Patricia Bernstein Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: History Through Fiction Release Date: March 7, 2023 Pages: 266 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: A Noble Cunning is a novel based on the true story of persecuted Catholic noblewoman Winifred Maxwell, who rescued her husband from the Tower of London with the help of a group of devoted women friends in 1716. A Noble Cunning is a novel based on the life of Winifred Herbert Maxwell (1680-1749), who became the Countess of Nithsdale in 1699. Set amidst the 1715 Rebellion against England’s first German king, George I, the novel depicts the ruthless persecution of Catholics and the relentless determination of protagonist Bethan Glentaggart to save the life of husband Gavin after he is captured and condemned to death. Bethan faces down a mob attack on her home, travels alone from the Scottish Lowlands to London through one of the wo

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath

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