Two people on opposite sides of a civil war. Frances Dreda is an officer in the Taylian State Security Bureau who enforces obedience to the law by the deterrent of prison and the noose. He investigates the activities of the outspoken and intellectual Lady Felea Whelani who he suspects aids the rebels by codebreaking and feeding and educating their children. They should be mortal enemies but are … enemies but are intrigued by each other but he mistrusts women and Felea is repulses Felea by his detachment and his severity. Can love overcome cultural differences and prejudice? Can Felea humanise this officer?
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A fantastic romance reminiscent of the 18th or 19th century when women were regarded as chattel to be used for political alliances. Marriages were seldom a love match but Felea had never thought too much about love and marriage. She was highly educated and planned to help her father feed the starving rebels. Dreda, the Emperor’s spymaster, is hot on Felea’s fathers traitorous father’s trail. When he meets with Felea for questioning, he finds an enigma. She seems naïve and innocent but also feisty and competent. He soon decides he will need to learn more about the young lady. His cold and calculating demeanor might be in for a drastic adjustment. But is he redeemable?
A great story with a stunning back drop. Plenty of castle intrigue along with noble lords and ladies who feel entitled just because of their bloodlines. Highly Recommended!
Well done and very entertaining. I enjoyed the story and read it in one sitting. Great characters and well-developed plot. Great read.
Great read centred around the turbulent relationship between Francis Dreda of the Taylian State Security Bureau and Lady Felea, whose father is supporting the rebels. Dreda is, by reputation, the hard-hearted agent of the Emperor, but is presented with a dilemma when drawn inexorably towards Felea, who is under suspicion and investigation. A tremendous emotional struggle between the two is played out against an authentically-created backdrop of rebellion, intrigue and conflicting loyalties. Highly recommended.
This is more than your standard romance story. Although it doesn’t seem to be set to any real historical events, you get the sense of the era when women were nothing more than the property of men. On top of that, civil unrest is brewing, which adds a nice setting to the story. The two main characters couldn’t be more unlike each other: ruthless Frances Dreda, who’s second to the Emperor, and Lady Felea Whelani, who’s accused of helping the rebels. What they share is their passion and their defiance. It’s a great clash of wills and desires. There are plenty of obstacles in their way to discovering their way to each other. As soon as they’ve overcome one and seem to be coming to terms with one another, another disaster occurs to pull them apart. Historical romance lovers will enjoy the conflict between the two.
An uprising of the oppressed has put Felea and Dreda on opposite sides of a war, she a freedom fighter, and him a militant officer. They knew they were drawn to each other the first time they met, but is this interest attraction, or merely a desire to know the enemy?
This is a great historical, fantasy, romance that will lead you through a thrilling adventure as the main characters struggle with their feelings and duties. Can love survive in a war?
A lot going on in this tale.
While this is a romance novel, it takes place in a time when women were little more than the property of men. Often marriage was used for bargains among royal/rich families rather than love. Felea isn’t the type of women to be concerned with marriage though. She wants to make the world a better place, to do what she can to further the next generation. When Dreda is put on her trail, things take an interesting turn.
There is plenty of action and romance in this story as well as intrigue. The romance in the story is very unlikely, and to me, it made it all the more entrancing of a read. This story is full of beautiful passages and descriptions. Character development was also well done.
This story was full of intrigue and suspense. The characters were well-developed, the pacing was just right, and the hurdles and twists of fate that kept splitting these two stubborn lovers apart made for a page-turning read. There were quite a few surprises I wasn’t expecting, and I had a hard time putting it down. I thought that the tug-of-war tension between Dreda and Felea was excellently done. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Loved it. A country torn apart by civil war. A ruthless emperor trying to bend the will of the people. Two strong characters – man and woman – start out on opposite sides of the conflict, but slowly fall for each other in a well-crafted romance with subtle nuance and intelligence. Definitely a series to seek out.