Will one choice save her kingdom from destruction?During a time of peace and prosperity, Princess Airell of Daireann is given the rare privilege of choosing her own suitor. As eligible rulers from all over Ardena vie for her hand, a betrothal to Prince Tristan of Órlaith seems to be the clear choice. Yet, in the midst of Lady Airell’s happiness, the winds of change are coming.When an evil usurper … coming.
When an evil usurper from the north rises to power and his forces attack the southern kingdoms, peace in Ardena is shattered. With Daireann under siege, the princess must find the courage to protect her people. Will Lady Airell choose to sacrifice her own happiness in order to save her kingdom?
Get swept up in an epic adventure while reading this Christian medieval romance filled with themes of faith, redemption and forgiveness.
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What I think you should know:
Lady Airell’s Choice by Rachel Skatvold is a Christian Medieval Romance. It is the first book in The Ladies of Ardena series. It is set in 1187 in Medieval Kingdoms that are at war.
What You might need to know:
Being as this book contains war, it also contains fighting and death however it is presented in such a way that it would not be inappropriate for mature Young Adult readers to enjoy as well as Adults.
What I think about this book:
If you are ever looking for a great book with strong female leads look no further. Princess Airell is willing to marry in order to spare her country more destruction. From the start of the book you find out that the women of this book are not going to hide while their men fight instead they join them and fight in their own way. I enjoyed getting to know Prince Tiernay and his strength as the story evolved. Skatvold has a great way of keeping the story moving, while also allowing the characters and story-line to develop into a story that captures your attention and leaves you satisfied with the ending, but still wanting more.
I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
I am truly excited to have started this new medieval series and I just don’t think there is enough of those stories out there.
This story was full of twists and turns, family, love, and heartbreak. The characters were all set up and very easy to follow, especially with all the kingdoms involved. I enjoyed the charts in the back of the book as a handy reference as well.
This was at times an emotional read and compelling. Especially as the characters found themselves in situations that were not healthy or happy. Airell finds herself in such a situation that she can neither control of get out of. But as she stays strong and hopeful, she does come to see that her captor is also a captive as well.
I look forward to the rest of the series and how all these characters take their rightful places.
I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
Like most young girls, The Princess of Daireann dreams of finding a handsome prince who will love her and cherish her forever but Lady Airell discovers that this may not happen for her. To save her family and her kingdom, she must make a decision that will require great sacrifice and perhaps doom her to a life with a man who doesn’t love her as she deserves.
Lady Airell’s Choice is labeled as a Christian medieval romance so there are kings, castles, adventure, and danger. There is also good versus evil and a powerful message of hope, faith, forgiveness, and redemption. I especially liked that author Rachel Skatvold provides Airell with a deep trust in God as she makes her choice and I appreciate that this trust serves to remind each of us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him”. (Romans 8:28)
Lady Airell’s Choice is the first book in the Ladies of Ardena series and I found it to be an entertaining fantasy that should appeal to both young adults and adults.
I received a copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I was under no obligation to write a positive review and these are my own thoughts and opinions.
This was quite the read. It starts off sweet. You’ve got a young girl. A princess in actuality who is a bit rough and tumble and loves the outdoors. Her father gives her her choice of husband and she chooses the one she wants. But before she can be wed things go wrong. Their castle and lands are under siege and she must decide how to save her people. Can she do what’s right and true? Will she sacrifice her own happiness for her kingdom?
I enjoyed this book. The book read quickly and kept me interested. I did find that parts of it were predictable but not enough to make me want to stop reading the book. I’m looking forward to the ones to come in the series.
Airell is not the only character in the book but she is the main one for this book. I’m sure in other series we’ll get to know others better. I do have to say that I loved the characters of Airell’s brother and his wife. His wife Reagan especially was one that I’d like to get to know better. She was strong and composed and really just a complex character I’d like to get to know.
This is a book I highly recommend. I think you’ll love it. I know I did. The characters draw you in and you want to keep reading even after the book is over. I can’t wait until the next books in the series come out!
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
1187 Ardena among kings and queens—good and evil. It brings to mind that every level of society and all throughout history individuals have choices to do good or to do evil. Sometimes the choice is between two good choices. The heroine is faced with choice after choice. She has a choice to save the kingdom or let someone else do it. Can she sacrifice her own dreams for the masses? Could I? What if I had to face a terrifying marriage in exchange for peace between countries? The most I have to do is for my small realm of immediate family. I do still question if the choices I make are right for me and for the ones I’m influencing.
Airell could have stayed in the walls of her kingdom hiding. Could there have been another way? Life is full of choices. I can’t live the “what if” I’d chosen a different way. The other characters in Airell’s vicinity make choices to lie, to harbor secrets, to marry, to protect, to fight. Airell’s choice makes her a pawn for an evil, dark king of the north. Is she a pawn to be rescued or a soul to be cherished or just another victim?
Everyone in life has a choice to do good or evil. What if good has to be cloaked in order to conquer evil? After initial choices, others will follow until there is a string of them. God can lead in making the right choices, then the string becomes a rope as one follows His plans. Even if the strings are a tangled mess of bad choices, God is a master at unraveling.
I enjoyed the journey, anticipating the outcome of Airell’s choices.
“She would have to make sacrifices for her family and her kingdom. No more would she dream of having choices and being free. Serving her kingdom was her duty as Princess Airell of Daireann.”
An avid historical fiction fan, I nonetheless admit that the Middle Ages has never held much appeal for me, nor does royal life. That seems like a much too stifled and public existence for my taste, and I never had dreams of becoming a princess or a queen. Therefore it would seem odd that this book caught my attention, but between the cover and the author’s mention of basing the fictional setting on Ireland and Scotland, I was compelled to find out more, and I’m glad that I did.
Rachel Skatvold has created a charming yet ominous world in the country of Ardena, in which an idyllic life is suddenly destroyed and peril strikes the hitherto peaceful kingdom of Daireann. “Lady Airell’s Choice” opens with a drastic contrast between the prologue and the first chapter, which seems disconcerting at first but matches the characters’ emotional turmoil and also allows readers to vicariously experience the confusion that the characters themselves are facing. Written in the third-person, Lady Airell is the character with whom we become the most familiar, but we are also given insight into various other characters. Some do follow the stereotypes of good and evil, but there are enough complex characters to balance the scales. The effects of the influence that some people can have on others is clearly demonstrated and is a point that is particularly relevant today. There is romance, but these scenes are clean and do not dominate the book, which I always appreciate.
“Lady Airell’s Choice” is not a lighthearted, feel-good story, but there are moments of levity, and it is worth reading for its thematic values alone. There are battle scenes and mild descriptions of wounds and the like, but these can be skipped over by readers who find them disturbing. The story is full of treachery, heartbreak, and sacrifice, a stark reminder that “in this world you will have trouble”, but thanks to the Lord’s own sacrifice, we can add “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Vengeance and redemption both feature heavily in the story in unexpected ways, challenging readers to examine their own hearts and truly love others and to forgive offenses. As Peadar asks Airelle, “I believe anyone can find redemption. Don’t you?”
At the end of the book, there is a set of discussion questions, as well as family trees detailing Ardena’s royal lineages and a list of pronunciations and meanings. The latter, particularly, I think is invaluable. I would not otherwise know how to pronounce most of the people and place names, which always bothers me when it happens, and understanding what the names mean offers special insight into the story. Aside from grammatical errors, I think that this first book in the Ladies of Ardena series is an intriguing opening, and I look forward to further exploring the other women in the remaining three books of the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
This has been such an enchanting story that I wanted it to keep going forever. I love the time period and reading about castles. You are swept away to a land where Kings rule and danger surrounds you. I have really started to like this genre and love how the author makes the story come alive. It was easy to realize who was going to be evil in the story as the author unveils the character of a powerful person in the kingdom.
I admired Lady Airell’s sacrifice to save her family and the people of the kingdom. Her heart is pure and willing to put others before her own happiness. It was a rough ride as she sailed to her new home with her husband. Tiernay seemed withdrawn and not trustworthy once he married Airell. The author slowly develops his character and I enjoyed getting to know his true heart. There is definitely a faith element in the story which made me love the story even more.
I can’t forget about Airell’s brother and sister -in-law. They really were two people I admired and always wanted to do what was best for the kingdom. There is deceit, secrets and trust issues that flow throughout the story. One thing stands out to me. Love is powerful in this story as well as sacrifice. God sacrificed His Son for us because He loved us. In this story several characters make sacrifices that show their love for others.
I will leave the review with these thoughts. The author gives us a great story filled with adventure, heartache, danger and sacrifice. Each character plays a part that shows how greed can make a person turn on others. We all make choices everyday. Could we make a choice like Airell did? Would we sacrifice all to save our family?
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
I have previously read and enjoyed books by Rachel Skatvold. When I had the chance to read her Lady Airell’s Choice, I was so excited. I was not disappointed in this first book from Ladies of Ardena series at all. This story is full of action, adventure, suspense and romance. I loved that there was an element of faith entwined within the tale. Lady Airell was a great character. I admired her bravery and courage. It was so very good.
I am going to give Lady Airell’s Choice four and a half stars. I believe readers who love to read clean Medieval era historical romance. I can not wait to get my hands on the second installment from the Ladies of Ardena series, Lady Reagan’s Quest. I am sure I will not be disappointed.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
Fans of Melanie Dickerson and Jody Hedlund will fall in love with Rachel Skatvold’s Christian medieval romances.
A fantastic introduction to the Ladies of Ardena, with heroes and heroines courageous and brave. I loved how this book also sets up well for the following books in the series, introducing many wonderful characters whom I hope to see later on in the series. I really admired Reagan, her love for her husband, natural leadership and regal bearing.
Well paced, with great character development over the course of the story, as well as great interaction between many of the characters. I loved how this book took many turns twisting the traditional tropes to take me by surprise, yet retaining all of the charm.
Overall, this is a wonderfully enjoyable and satisfying read, that also left me wanting more. Strong themes of faith, duty, family, and love throughout this story. I loved Tiernay for his honor, sense of duty, and respect that he showed to others. Airell also grows so much over the course of the story. I loved her relationships with her family and how she is quick to make friends. You won’t regret checking out this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.