An Uncertain Choice

Rosemarie had resigned herself to a future in a convent until her godfather appears with an escape clause: her parents' Vow can be forgotten if she falls in love and marries in the next month; with three handsome knights vying for her hand, she's realizing there's a chance for love, but someone is going to dangerous lengths to prevent it.(Though reviews are inherently subjective, I prefer to provide some organization to my opinions through the use of a personal rubric. The following notes may contain spoilers.)Plot and Setting: 4.2 -- Plot is engaging, with both cliche/overly convenient elements and some more unique aspects. Has a few shaky bits and/or a slight lack of focus. Setting is clear and mostly believable. Timeline is clear and consistent. I liked the vaguely fairy-tale-ish aspect of the story, with some subtle parallels to Sleeping Beauty, and the sort of bait-and-switch villain. But it also felt like it was trying too hard for a totally unnecessary bit of 'which knight was it' mystery, and the courtship activities felt slightly anachronistic. Jousting, archery contests, dances, feasts -- those fit the time period. But romantic dinners for two in the garden and a craft show with no attendees but the couple on their 'date'? Yeah, those sound much more like a modern reality show. This can be read as a stand-alone, but it does tag on at the very end a hint of what's to come for Sir Collin in the next book.Characters: 4 -- Main characters are relatable, realistic, interesting, and dynamic. Some minor characters have depth, while others may be slightly stereotyped or simplified. Definite strong points in the relationships between characters. I liked both Rosemarie and Derrick. Her struggle with wanting to be treated as an adult, but also wanting to rely on others for advice, is very relatable, among other things. I also appreciated that while she initially reacts to Derrick's apparent disinterest with petty-but-justifiable anger, she ultimately goes out of her way to pursue him, instead. Nice. They really are a good team, each calling the other out on misconceptions they have about themselves and their fate, and driving each other to be better. The other characters are presented as decently unique and believable people, but we don't see a lot of growth or depth from minor characters.Mechanics and Writing: 4.4 -- Few, if any, typos, punctuation issues, or word errors. (<5/100pgs) Generally solid use of POV, with a few errors or oddities. Skillful writing that adds to the story. Errors include: homophone confusion, mild punctuation or formatting issues, some mildly awkward or inconsistent bits. POV is all first person, mainly Rosemarie, but some Derrick, especially later in the book. It would've been nice to have some warning when we switch POVs, but there's not. I would sometimes get a paragraph or two into a new section or chapter before realizing who was speaking, which was definitely irritating, but perhaps not seriously confusing.Redeeming Value: 4.7 -- Well-developed, central, uplifting themes. Drugs, alcohol, violence, etc, are not glorified, though there is some shaky ground. No explicit sex scenes. Clear moral guidelines for behavior. Some definite physical attraction, but the characters are generally well-chaperoned, and careful to respect propriety. No more than a few kisses. Some violence, and descriptions of fairly gruesome methods of torture and execution. It doesn't dwell on the graphic details, and it's clear that we're meant to disapprove of torture entirely, but it's definitely there. A pretty clear theme of seeking God's direction in prayer, and then following where God leads, even if perhaps you're given conflicting advice. Men can be fallible and untrustworthy; God is not. Also an emphasis on generosity and care for the poor, as opposed to overindulging in extravagant luxuries.Personal Enjoyment: 4 -- I liked it a lot. Highly enjoyable and very entertaining, with perhaps an issue or two that tempered my pleasure. I’d enjoy reading it again.

The beautiful prose that is Jody Hedlund’s style has previously only been found in her adult, inspirational fiction. She had readers swoony over a certain Noble Groom (and a kiss to go with it!) and has taken readers back to many a fascinating era in history. In 2015, Jody took on an unfamiliar genre: Young Adult. Though the novel is still set in historical times, this book is certainly a step back from her usual normal and yet it rises, and in many instances surpasses the expectations readers will have had for the book. The story itself is like a Cinderella-esque fairytale with its own vision of the story. There’s a deadline approaching that unless altered will forever change Rosemarie’s future, and though there is no glass slipper or pumpkin carriage, there is plenty of romance and intrigue as well as a “Prince Charming.” Or as is the case here, three potential heroes – and what dashing young men they are! Each of the heroes is special in their own right.I have to confess, medieval stories are a hard sell in my reading habits. But having known Jody Hedlund’s previous books, I had little doubt this novel was going to live up to the hype. The first person (we switch off between two perspectives though mainly stay with Rosemarie) prose is beautifully and simplistically perfect. I loved that the details of the time period didn’t overwhelm the fictional story, yet there is still enough to satisfy avid historians….I can honestly say, this is easily one of my favorite YA reads. It officially released March 3rd, so be sure to add it to your to-be-read.This review appears in full and was originally published on Silver Petticoat Review.Sincere thanks to the author and publisher (NetGalley) for a complimentary review copy of this novel.

I really enjoyed this fun series starter and medieval romance by Jody Hedlund. Her books are always so well-written, I find myself absorbed in the plot line and rooting for the characters. I loved the twists in this book with who the villain really is. Rosemarie and Derrek are cute together and the chemistry is great. I love the swoony romance that stays completely clean, but delivers all the feels. This book had action, adventure, and love. A great combination and fantastic read! I can’t wait to read more in this series, though this book is a standalone story.

I found this to be a wonderful tale. I love the medieval time setting. I really like the romantic story. While Rosemarie finds 2 of the 3 knights competing for her hand to be kind and flattering she develops a deeper connection with the 3rd knight. Even though the 3rd knight does not seek her hand in the beginning because he feels his lack of land means he is not a suitable match. This story finds Lady Rosemarie having 1 month to decide to find and marry for true love or enter the convent because of a promise her parents made at her birth. I found her courageous in her own way and her care and concern for the poor and afflicted in the kingdom to be heartwarming. Her fierce opposition of torture of criminals leaves her at odds with her sheriff. The knight she falls for supports and challenges her to be a better person and they balance each other very well.I have seen some reviews that found Lady Rosemarie to be a weak lead, but I don’t feel that is the case. I think the author stayed a bit truer to the time period and role of women then some authors do. Women didn’t sword fight or those things in those days. They did rely on guards and male family members for physical protection. While I am all for a female lead that can battle her way out of trouble. I think the type of opposition Lady Rosemarie shows in the tale is more accurate.

I really really enjoyed this book. The author did a good job and it was a very good read. If this is your style of book then I would definitely recommend giving it a read. Way to go.

This Book is AMAZING !and It's Clean :)I Absolutely LOVED it , Plus I Read The 2nd Book as Well and Loved it Too!

Amazing book. I could not put it down. Full of action and moments of dread. I look forward to the next one.

Good story.