Letting down her guard Might save her life… With their family name in tatters, Katherine Leofric and her sister are headed for a new life at their brother’s estate. They are escorted by the hardened Jarin, Earl of Borwyn, who Katherine believes is only after her dowry! Until her sister is abducted on the treacherous journey, and Katherine must rely on Jarin’s protection. Now, seeing a … Now, seeing a different side to the man she swore to hate, it’s her heart that’s most at risk!
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
The House of Leofric
Book 1: The Warrior Knight and the Widow
Book 2: Under the Warrior’s Protection
more
Good story. Katherine and Jason were very different, even though the brutality of their childhood was horribly similar. My heart wrenched for both of them, especially Katherine. The story grew on me even with all the lust-at-first-sight. I love the epilogue. Quite a bit of setup for next in the series. Lost a star for steaminess.
Love and duty. Reputation and convenience. In Medieval England, Jarin Ashdown could end up married to the wrong sister.
Under The Warrior’s Protection by Ella Matthews is book 2 in the House of Leofric series but can be read as a standalone.
A delightful medieval historical romance in which the warrior falls for the not-so-pretty, shy, older sister of the woman he is supposed to marry.
Katherine Leofric and her sister Linota lived with their abusive mother in the keep of the Earl of Ogmore.
They were kept locked in their chambers, and their mother beat them, especially Katherine, for any small misdeed.
Their father was executed for treason, and her family name was in shambles. Her brother Braedan was marrying the Earl of Ogmore’s only daughter, and they would finally move from under their mother to live with him.
Jarin Ashdown, Earl of Borwyn, inherited more land than funds and considered marrying Ogmore’s daughter to re-establish his finances. When she married Katherine’s brother, the Earl offered Jarin to marry one of the Leofric sisters for a good dowry.
He was in great need but reluctant to align his family name with the disgraced Leofrics.
Jarin was tasked to escort the Leofric sisters to their brother’s new home. When the beautiful Linota is kidnapped, he and plain Katherine go to her rescue together.
The story is sweet and romantic, a little spiced towards the end. Katherine is a free spirit, and Jarin is enchanted by her inner strength.
Jarin reminds me a bit of Mr. Darcy. He did not hide his reservations against her family, and I loved to see him eating his humble pie and working on making amends.
I love a slow-burn romance, especially when the couple bonds over much more than looks.
This is my first book by this author but will not be the last. I intend to read the first book in the series, and I’m looking forward to the next installments.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*For more reviews, book art, and book-related articles, please visit https://lureviewsbooks.com *
3.5 stars, rounded up.
After years of seclusion, shame and abuse, sisters Katherine and Linota Leofric are finally free, they will be leaving the Earl of Ogmore’s estate and will travel to their newly married brother’s estate. Hidden away with their abusive mother after their father was hanged for treason, Katherine never expected to marry, she considers herself too old and too plain, but she hopes that her younger, beautiful sister Linota will make a good match. She is waiting for Linota to return from the privy when she overhears Jarin Ashdown, the Earl of Borwyn and his steward Erik Ward talking about them. She learns that Ogmore has offered Jarin a hefty dowry to marry one of the sisters – Jarin was supposed to marry Ogmore’s daughter, but she chose Katherine’s brother and Ogmore is trying to smooth thing over. Jarin makes it clear that the girls are not worthy of his consideration since their father was a traitor and that marriage to one of them will taint his name with dishonor. Katherine is seething and is barely able to stop herself from giving him a piece of her mind. Later see witnesses someone who she believes is Jarin having a secret meeting, but soon realizes it is Erik. She then learns that Jarin is escorting the sisters to their new home and is not at all pleased.
Jarin is in a bind, he really needs the money from the dowry, but promised his father to uphold the family honor and promised his mother to be a better man than his father was. Erik insists that marrying Linota is the solution – she is lovely and brings not only wealth, but a connection to the powerful Earl of Ogmore. Jarin considers it, he feels nothing for Linota, which is good, considering his first marriage was fueled by lust and was a complete disaster. But Katherine, is a different story, she fascinates him, she is not a classic beauty, but she captivates him and makes him hum with desire and it is clear that she dislikes him. He should be glad and should leave her alone, but he can’t seem to stop himself.
They form a truce and agree that they both jumped to conclusions, desire sparks, but when Linota is abducted, Katherine makes Jarin promise to save Linota’s reputation by marrying her, Jarin agrees, but first they need to find Linota and find out who kidnapped her and why. Their search means they have to spend time alone together and the spark they felt begins to grow – but given his promise, they know nothing can come of it, but love isn’t easily dismissed and when they are given a second chance, will they take it or will they walk away?
This was a good book, but I wish I understood Katherine’s backstory a bit better, for instance, why did they live with Ogmore? What did their father do? Why was she treated like a prisoner? Maybe if I knew these things the story would have made more sense to me. Jarin was a great hero and easy to like, I did think they both needed a slap or two, but overall, I enjoyed the story. It has action, intrigue, betrayal, surprising twists, shocking revelations, warmish love scenes, a villain who gets off too easy and a very sweet epilogue. This is the second book in the series, I did not read the first book and have to wonder if my questions would have been answered if I did – I really don’t know, but I did feel like this story lacked adequate backstory to be a standalone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Under the Warrior’s Protection
The House of Leofric Series #2
Ella Matthews
https://www.facebook.com/ella.matthews.524381
Release date 11/01/2020
Publisher Harlequin Historical / Mills&Boon Historical
Letting down her guard Might save her life…
With their family name in tatters, Katherine Leofric and her sister are headed for a new life at their brother’s estate. They are escorted by the hardened Jarin, Earl of Borwyn, who Katherine believes is only after her dowry! Until her sister is abducted on the treacherous journey, and Katherine must rely on Jarin’s protection. Now, seeing a different side to the man she swore to hate, it’s her heart that’s most at risk!
Will they figure out in time what counts most …
Like the previous book in this series, it is an enemies to lovers tale, well from the heroine’s side .
Katherine having eavesdropped Jarin’s talk with his friend, knows where he stands about she and her family. Having felt the burden of her father’s treason for a long time now, she knows she is no treasure, nor beauty.
But it still stings to hear it out.
Jarin made a mistake, he spoke without having any clue of whom he was talking about. And while unaware of his words having been heard, he fells under Katherine’s invisible charms, no one sees her as he looks at her. To him, she is not the plain sister like everyone describes her. Because no one took once the time to watch her closely, to see past her shabby appearance, because her face and lite body is only a part of her allure, she is kind and courageous and definitely stubborn and impudent, and her gaze tells so much, she talks to his soul.
And while they began on the wrong foot, along their odyssey they learn to trust one another, each revealing their secret scars.
But both are blinded by their own past issues, so much they themselves impede their own course to the other. Longing for the other’s arms but unable to make the journey toward them.
At time I was upset at them for keeping their sentiments secret, for holding them back, but it is another time, a time when feelings were for courteous love and poets.
Luckily for them, others are less chivalrous and will meddle a bit to help them sort out their feelings.
4.5 stars
I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/737815113474329/?d=n