The Pretend King

The battle ground at Hastings has fallen quiet. The only sound that is heard over the murders of her surviving countrymen, is the voice of her brother, “Run!” Ash flees as the life she knows is ripped from her. She must find a way to survive as the army of Duke William spreads like a plague across England. Will she ever see her brothers again? What will be left of their home once William is crowned? AUTHOR’S NOTE: This book includes graphic scenes of violence that depicts a dark time in history. Historically, before he became King of England, William the Bastard secured his duchy by gouging out the eyes and cutting off the hands and feet of his prisoners. He then catapulted them into the town of Alencon, whose barons were not accepting of him as a nobleman. This is a story of a family William seeks vengeance upon. Though this book and the full three book series falls under the romance genre, this is not a typical romance of fairy tales and happily ever afters.

Captivating

When reading a series, ones greatest hope is that the story and characters continue to meet and exceed that of the first work. The Pretend King most certainly does just that. The story of Lady Ash's adventures captivated my attention and I found myself looking for reasons to get away and delve back into the story.
A.V. continues to build strong characters with unique backstories. The twists and turns kept my heart breaking and my sword hand itching.