Blurb:
Saxon barbarians
threaten to destroy medieval Wales. Lady Branwen becomes Wales’
last hope to unite their divided kingdoms when her father betroths
her to a powerful Welsh warlord, the Hammer King.
But this
fledgling alliance is fraught with enemies from within and without as
Branwen herself becomes the target of assassinations and courtly
intrigue. A young woman in a world of fierce warriors, she seeks to
assert her own authority and preserve Wales against the barbarians.
But when she falls for a young hedge knight named Artagan her world
threatens to tear itself apart. Caught between her duty to her people
and her love of a man she cannot have, Branwen must choose whether to
preserve her royal marriage or to follow her heart. Somehow she must
save her people and remain true to herself, before Saxon invaders and
a mysterious traitor try to destroy her.
My review:
Lady Branwen is Wales' last hope to unite divided kingdoms, but it means
marrying a man she's never met. The Hammer King is a powerful warlord,
and surely he will drive off the Saxon invaders and bring peace to the
land again. From the beginning, Branwen's marriage is shadowed by
assassination attempts and a spy within. Yet she must choose between
duty and love when she falls for a hedge knight named Artagan. But can
she save her people and be true to herself at the same time?
A magnificent historical romance that has renewed my love for the genre. Long ago, I became a fan of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It's been a long time since another medieval tale has captured me in the same way, but I found the magic again in Between Two Fires. It's masterfully written with beautiful detail and wondrous settings. The action is intense and the mystery clever.
Right from the beginning I was hooked, and it is because of the fantastic characterization. Branwen is a strong and admirable heroine. She might be young when she's married, but she has to grow up fast to survive. Artagan might come off as a flashy flirt, but there's so much more to him under it. The whole cast of characters is many layered, and they make this world even more brilliant.
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book in a giveaway, and I was under no obligation to review it. But when something this amazing comes along, I want to share it with the world! I cannot wait for more from Mark Noce.
A magnificent historical romance that has renewed my love for the genre. Long ago, I became a fan of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It's been a long time since another medieval tale has captured me in the same way, but I found the magic again in Between Two Fires. It's masterfully written with beautiful detail and wondrous settings. The action is intense and the mystery clever.
Right from the beginning I was hooked, and it is because of the fantastic characterization. Branwen is a strong and admirable heroine. She might be young when she's married, but she has to grow up fast to survive. Artagan might come off as a flashy flirt, but there's so much more to him under it. The whole cast of characters is many layered, and they make this world even more brilliant.
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book in a giveaway, and I was under no obligation to review it. But when something this amazing comes along, I want to share it with the world! I cannot wait for more from Mark Noce.
Buy the book:
Praise from
Bestselling Authors for Between Two Fires
“A spirited
ride through a turbulent slice of Welsh history!” – Paula
Brackston, NYT Bestselling author of The Witch’s
Daughter
“A fast-paced
read that has a wonderfully visual style and some memorable
characters. Mark Noce combines Welsh history with a touch of
folkloric magic in this promising debut novel. Lady Branwen is a
strong and engaging narrator and the turbulent setting of early
medieval Wales makes a fine backdrop for an action-packed story.”
– Juliet Marillier, Bestselling author of Daughter of the
Forest and Wolfskin
Mark Noce writes
historical fiction with a passion, and eagerly reads everything from
fantasy to literature. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area,
he’s an avid traveler and backpacker, particularly in Europe and
North America. He earned his BA and MA from Cal Poly, San Luis
Obispo, where he also met his beautiful wife. By day, he works as a
Technical Writer, having spent much of his career at places like
Google and Facebook. In addition to writing novels, he also writes
short fiction online. When not reading or writing, he’s probably
listening to U2, sailing his dad’s boat, or gardening with his
family.
His debut
novel, Between Two Fires, is being published by Thomas
Dunne Books (an imprint of St. Martin's Press and Macmillan). It is
the first in a series of historical fiction novels set in medieval
Wales.
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