Wild Lavender (Heart & Hand Series Book 1) by Nicole E. Kelleher – Review by Helen Dawkins

Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wild Lavender is the first book in the Heart & Hand Series by Nicole E. Kelleher. This is a medieval historical romance. It took me a about a third of the way through to actually capture my attention, the pace goes from very slow to extremely fast. The beginning is not bad, it just is very slow, and you MUST pay attention to every detail as Nicole E. Kelleher drops small hints throughout the book, which I loved, but just wished the pace was consistent throughout. At times it felt like there was a good bit of filler information.

This book is full of castles, secret passages, war, betrayal, strong heroin, and arranged marriage.
Anna is such a headstrong and brave young woman, her idea of a blissful marriage is quickly shattered when she realizes her husband is a cruel, sadistic, hateful and abusive man. Lord Roger hides behind a mask, he can be charming and alluring. Anna, with the assistance of several people want to get rid of Roger, but he is two steps ahead of them – Roger ordered that if he is to die, that not only is his Captain supposed to kill Anna, but they are also supposed to kill her entire family and harm her hometown, Chevlain.

Lord Roger is up to something, but they cannot prove it. Larkin and two other men from the Royal Guard show up in Stolweg to try to uncover any wrong doings by Lord Roger. When he arrives, he is stunned to see the woman who has haunted his dreams for years. if Lord Roger is proven to be guilty, Anna may be implicated as well since she is his wife.

By the end of the book, it was a captivating romance with plenty of action, violence, prophecy, and challenges. The book really starts progressing when Anna decides to save herself and her people from the sadistic Lord Roger. I recommend reading this book if you love medieval fantasy romance! I cannot wait to read book 2. PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS BOOK!

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