Inspired by the vision of the Young Lady Sapphira, Rosalind of Ipsworth joins a group of men, women, and children as a defender of the cross, seeking to free captives from prisons near Tripoli. She gladly gives herself to the cause, as she's haunted by a tragic mistake and no longer deserves such joys as marriage and family might bring.
Sir Randel Penigree was reared to serve in the church, but dreams of protecting the innocent as a knight. Joining a crusade to escape humiliation at home, he finds himself drawn to Rosalind as they partner to train and protect a group of young adolescents. When they face political machinations, danger, and an unknown enemy bent on their destruction, they are forced to reconsider their priorities and the very nature of the God they serve.
My Thoughts
When I first heard about this author's debut novel I was instantly intrigued and I knew I had to read it. I was lucky to get a copy for review and I loved it so I eagerly awaited book two, hoping it would live up to its predecessor. And it gloriously did, earning this author a spot on my must read list. So this third book had a lot to live up to and thankfully it was as good as the first two!
I can honestly say I have never read a book that centered around a crusade so this was an entirely know new territory for me. But it was a very interesting setting!
We got to meet Rosalind in the last book and Randall made some appearances so I was excited to see where their story would take them and how it would play out. I loved the way that their easy friendship slowly blossomed into something deeper, even though they had both decided marriage wasn't in the cards for them. Both had pasts that haunted them and it seemed like they both centered their lives around trying to atone for the things they had done. So it was beautiful to watch as they learned to accept that God had truly forgiven them and that they were not defined by the sins they had committed.
The mystery of who was the traitor in the group who wanted Randall dead kept me guessing until it was revealed and it was fun trying to figure it out.
There were a few bits near the end that didn't seem to flow as smoothly as the rest and seemed a bit forced, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book! I really liked the very end and getting to see all of the characters together!
So basically this book (and the series it is a part of) is amazing and you definitely need to read them!
Meet the AuthorDina L. Sleiman holds an MA in professional writing from Regent University and a BA in communications with a minor in English from Oral Roberts University. She is the author of the Valiant Hearts trilogy, which includes Dauntless, winner of the 2016 Carol Award for Young Adult Fiction. Over the past eighteen years, she has had opportunities to teach college writing and literature, as well as high school and elementary classes in English, humanities, and fine arts. She lives in Virginia with her husband and three children. She can be found online at www.dinasleiman.com.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
