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SUMMARY

A foreign usurper. A lady who longs for freedom. Vicious beasts who want to rip them all to shreds. Who wins?

Never one to shy from a challenge, Lord Tristan Petram took possession of a forsaken castle. Only hints remain of the treachery that forced its abandonment. But if he and his followers can forge a life here—and hold out against ravenous vixicats—the castle and this land will be theirs. As for the nearest kingdom, they never venture beyond their border or the mysterious forest of tower trees. Except…

Beth dons a disguise and takes a forbidden ride in Tower Woods. Her fun adventure turns into a nightmare of kidnap and rescue—of sorts. Now she’s trapped in a nameless castle held by a foreign usurper. What will he do with her if he finds out who she really is?

Thus, Lord Petram finds himself the unwilling guardian of an injured lady who won’t give her full name. A crime he didn’t commit may bring retribution from an unknown kingdom. Do they have a claim to this castle that he now calls home? If he survives the vixicats, will an army slaughter him and his followers?

REVIEW

4/5 STARS

Lord Tristan Petram has found the unthinkable. A castle that has been forsaken, in the middle of nowhere that is unguarded. He establishes himself in the castle with a few of his men, not knowing the full extent of the dangers that surround him. They must hole the castle until he can get word back home that the place is safe for the rest of his men and their families to join him.

While out patrolling the nearby woods, Lord Petram’s men come across a woman in need of rescue from some scoundrels. They do the job and bring the injured woman back to the castle where Lord Petram resides. She will not answer his questions and she seems more than eager to leave, despite clearly not being familiar with the dangers of the woods and areas around her. She will only tell Tristan that her name is Beth. Tristan suspects that there is much more to her story than she lets on.

The book is a faced paced read and manages to provide twists and turns without falling into tropes. The setting is well-realized as are the politics surrounding the situation. Tristan and Beth are able to get close to one another without it seeming forced or unrealistic. Beth has good reason for keeping her identity from Tristan just as Tristan is justified in most of the actions he takes making for well-developed characters that are easy to empathize with.

In some ways this book is reminiscent of Outlander although, without time travel components and a little more grounded in reality. If you are a fan of fantasy fiction with a little bit of romance, fights with deadly beasts, and intriguing kingdom politics this book is for you. I look forward to seeing where the series takes us next.