Keep your friends close… But your enemies closer? In order to find a legendary treasure map, mercenary Louve of Mei Solis must infiltrate his enemy’s fortress under the guise of a servant. There, Louve meets beautiful maiden Biedeluue, a fellow servant with her own hidden agenda…to save her sister from the malevolent lord’s clutches! Their high-stakes missions may be at odds with one … odds with one another, but their attraction cannot be denied even in this most dangerous of situations…
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
Lovers and Legends
A clash of Celtic passions
Book 1: The Knight’s Broken Promise
Book 2: Her Enemy Highlander
Book 3: The Highland Laird’s Bride
Book 4: In Debt to the Enemy Lord
Book 5: The Knight’s Scarred Maiden
Book 6: Her Christmas Knight
Book 7: Reclaimed by the Knight
Book 8: Her Dark Knight’s Redemption
Book 9: Captured by Her Enemy Knight
Book 10: The Maiden and the Mercenary
more
As soon as I met Louve in the previous books, I was fascinated by the caring yet brutal mercenary, there was something hugely enthralling about him and I have been looking forward to his story for a long time. Louve crept under my defences and has plagued me from the moment of meeting him, I would have probably had a temper tantrum if he didn’t get a story of his own, but thankfully he did get a story which has made this little reviewer incredibly happy – plus no temper tantrums
The Maiden and the Mercenary is the tenth book in the thrilling and ever-so-romantic; Lovers and Legends series, I can’t believe there have been ten books already, amazing! You can easily read each book as a stand-alone, I am speaking from experience as I did come into this series pretty late and have yet to read the first ones but I have loved each and everyone I have read so far.
The story opens in 1297, where the ‘Warstone War‘ is still going strong – for those who have been following this series will know all about the Warstones – if this is your first Nicole Locke book don’t worry this is well and truly a stand-alone everything you need to know about the nefarious Warstones is right here.
Louve of Mei Solis, ruthless, hardened, jaded and easily the sexiest mercenary in town has been tasked to infiltrate the deadly Warstone lair and retrieve a crucial parchment piece (I won’t say too much about that as it is linked to the Lovers and Legend overall story) but going into the lion’s den especially being who he is will be hugely deadly, not more so once Ian Warstone knows of his presence and the games begin. But Our lovely Louve isn’t one to be intimidated he is the one who does the intimidating but even he knows one wrong move in this game of chess could lead to his and his men’s death. Once inside the castle he soon finds an unlikely ally, but what is it that his beautiful ally is hiding?
Biedluue has her own mission, she won’t allow this stranger who comes bursting in and starts barking orders at everyone, to get in her way. She – like Louse – has smuggled herself into the castle with one thing in mind, and that is to rescue her beloved sister from the beastly clutches of that devil; Warstone. As you can see both Louve and Biedluue have the same enemy, but can they trust each other enough to help one and other?
The overall plot and romance didn’t disappoint, I did have my own issue (which I will discuss later) but there is so much to love about The Maiden and the Mercenary; that much loved edgy, lustful and tense chemistry between the characters which leaps of the page as you read. The intricate and compelling plotline which dazzles, plus some serious swooning hero love coming from yours-truly
The romance between Louve and Biedeluue really crackles with unrequited lust and want, there is a shimmer of star-dust which surrounds them. Yet – and I do hate to say anything negative about these books, but I have always vowed to always be honest – I actually struggled to get into the story at first. It took quite a huge part of the begging of the book for everything to slot into place for me to start to love it, personally the first six or so chapters felt a little muddled to me, I felt there was a wee bit too much pushed into such a short space in the beginning and that’s what I struggled with especially with the amount of character’s which sort of bombard you in that first scene with Louve and Biedeluue.
To be perfectly honest I was a little surprised that it took me so long to really fall in love with this book as I had been looking forward to Louve’s story for so long, and I hate to say it but I was a little disappointed with not getting that instant buzz which I usually do with these books. But, everything fell into place eventually and then I ‘got’ what Locke was doing in the beginning, she was building up the tension, the relationship between characters and pushing both our main character’s personal reasons for being in the castle at the reader early so you could enjoy the ride later. (Does that make sense? Well it does to me)
I have to mention the names, I really love them, I can’t for the life of me figure out how to pronounce Biedeluue properly, I’m sure that I am pronouncing it completely wrong – which isn’t nothing new for me, I am terrible with names – it fits her character’ perfectly too.
The Maiden and the Mercenary was an engaging story by Nicole Locke. A mercenary and maiden with their own agenda’s work together to find a legendary treasure map. Enemies become friends and their undeniable attraction and passion lead to love. Louve and Biedeluue were wonderful characters.
Thank you Rachel’s Random Resources for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Maiden And The Mercenary
By: Nicole Locke
REVIEW
The Maiden And The Mercenary, tenth in Nicole Locke’s Lovers and Legends series, is a solid historical fiction Medieval novel. Bied, pretending to be a servant, is on a mission to save her sister. Louve is a man with his own hidden agenda. Two people working undercover happen to find each other. Bied and Louve have a relationship that builds over time, and that is much better than instalove. This story has everything you would expect from dashing swoon worthy moments to mysterious intrigues and was enjoyable to read. The question is what takes precedence-the initial mission or a possible romance interest? Duty or love? There are also menacing players who are unpredictable, so anything is possible!
A maiden and a mercenary fall in love while pretending to be servants in a tyrant’s home.
The Maiden and The Mercenary by Nicole Locke is book #10 in the Lovers and Legends series.
In 1297 France, Biedeluue’s sister, the mistress of a mighty and cold man (Ian Warstone), wrote asking for rescue. Trying to find a way to extricate her sister from the man’s fortress, Bied applied for a job there and worked as a servant.
Meanwhile, Louve of Mei Solis, a mercenary hired by Ian’s brother, also infiltrated the fortress, pretending to be a servant to retrieve a crucial parchment piece.
There was great chemistry between Bied and Louve, but they were both on a mission and had very different hopes and dreams for the future.
I had a little hard time following the intricate power game played by the Warstone Family (hence I wished I had read the previous books of the series), but I still enjoyed the romance.
Bied was intense and a little wild. Louve was honorable and sweet, my favorite kind of mercenary (lol).
The Maiden and The Mercenary is a fast-paced and adventurous medieval romance with a strong heroine and a lovely hero.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
*For more reviews, book art, and book-related articles, please visit https://lureviewsbooks.com *
The Maiden and the Mercenary
Lovers and Legends Book 10
Release date 12/01/2020
https://m.facebook.com/NicoleLockeAuthor/ Publisher Harlequin Historical / Mills&Boon Historical
Keep your friends close… But your enemies closer?
In order to find a legendary treasure map, mercenary Louve of Mei Solis must infiltrate his enemy’s fortress under the guise of a servant. There, Louve meets beautiful maiden Biedeluue, a fellow servant with her own hidden agenda…to save her sister from the malevolent lord’s clutches! Their high-stakes missions may be at odds with one another, but their attraction cannot be denied even in this most dangerous of situations…
A tale of finding one’s home.
Be forewarned, this is a complex tale with from one side, a family fighting one another, a feud orchestrated by a mother between her sons to be the one holding all the power, then on the other side, what love for one’s family will make some sacrifice.
I confess the beginning was quite messy for me to enter in this story as the introduction chapters were told from a drunken woman point of view.
Yet once Bied and Louve work in concert, everything makes sense.
Louve, is a recurring character from previous stories, I understand who he is, a hired hand when people need more blades to fight. He has a dream and when part of it was shattered, he changed path with still the hope to one day make it true.
But Biedeluue ( curious to know how it is pronounced), I struggle to put her in a box, it is difficult to comprehend her complex personality. Her past is quite a riddle, but also it made her the strong being she is now. She paid the price of others greed, but she was willing if it could protect those she protected and cared for.
This story has many lead wires all intricating with one another, meddling the line of one with an other to finally blur everything.
At time, I felt sorry for the brothers who have been doomed from the beginning, even the “bad one” was only a pawn in someone else game.
Louve and Bied emerge victorious because what ever they had to compromise it was not for power but survival.
4 stars
I was granted an advance copy by the author and Rachel’s Random Resources. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/756628888259618/?d=n
When we last saw Louve of Mei Solis, he had resigned his position as Usher to Nicholas and had joined Reynold of Warstone as a mercenary. And now he has been sent on a new mission – invade the holding of Reynold’s brother, Ian and find the parchment pertaining to the fabled Jewell of Kings. In addition to his mission, he has been tasked with protecting Reynold’s youngest brother – Balthus – who has recently reconciled with Reynold. Louve knows that dealing with the Warstones is tricky – they are a complex, deadly group who play games with peoples lives and seemingly have no consciences. He convinces Balthus to stay in hiding, while he enters the fortress and hopefully secures work. As luck would have it, the steward hires him on the spot and then bolts – leaving Louve to deal with a drunken free for all in the kitchens.
Biedeluue “Bied” is at the fortress to rescue her sister Margery, who is Ian’s mistress. She is trying to find a way to see her and after two weeks, has had no luck. She first meets Louve when he comes upon her and another servant in the middle of a drinking game. She can’t believe how handsome he is and even in her drunken state, knows that he is not who or what he claims to be.
She is drawn to him and he to her, but neither trusts easily and when in the company of Warstones, one cannot afford to lose focus. Ian soon makes it clear that he is on to both Louve and Bied and pulls them into his game and to complicate things even more, Balthus “arrives” with his evil parents. Now, not only does Louve have to complete his mission, but he also has to protect Balthus from his family and the woman he loves from becoming a pawn in Ian’s games.
This was a very complex and at times mystifying story. It is well written, but it is really not a story you can skim or read quickly there is A LOT going on and it is not always easy to keep track of who is the bad guy – the Warstones are a truly evil family – think the Borgias – and the brothers have been set against each other since birth – but at times you can’t help but feel sorry for them. I did enjoy the inactions between Louve and Bied, their banter was fun and their love scenes bordered on spicy. In addition to that, this book has murder, secrets, lies, betrayal, poison, villains galore, warm love scenes and a well deserved HEA. This is the 10th book in the series and I would recommend reading the books in order.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC I requested and was provided to me by the publisher.*