Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: January 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Helena is a healer. Ivan is her prisoner. Caught in the crossfire of war, they must choose: loyalty, or love.

The Balkans, 1383

A sudden conflict between Serbs and Greeks has forced Ivan to join his brother and fight with the Serbian army. On the battlefield, Ivan is wounded and captured by the hostile Greeks, becoming a hostage in a deadly bid for power.

Helena, a Greek midwife, is tasked to care for Ivan, a request that will not only test her healing abilities but also her loyalty. Though war has made her reluctant patient an enemy, she can’t help but forge a connection with him, yet falling in love with him could turn her world upside down and brand her a traitor.

As the Ottoman Empire extends its grip into the Balkans, events beyond their control force Ivan and Helena to choose between loyalty to their families and people or following the longings of their hearts.

Award-winning historical novelist A. L. Sowards creates an engaging world of overlords and spies, rebellions and battlefields, and forbidden love.

Thank you to A.L. Sowards and Shadow Mountain for my gifted copy.

MY HEART.

I feel like I barely survived this book y’all. It took my heart out of my chest, smashed it on the ground a few times, and then picked up all the pieces and put it back together. So you know, YOU SHOULD READ IT TOO. This really took me on a historical journey. I love that the author doesn’t shy away from the hard truths of life in a different time period. It is not a linear path. The crossroads are imminent and the valleys are deep. But I loved how Helena and Ivan climbed the mountain together. As many times as it took, to find each other again.

It’s a slower paced book that really builds the journey. I loved the multiple points of view. There’s something about getting the antagonist POV that helps seal the deal on a great read. I loved seeing the mindsets and interpretations of the time period and setting. It’s gritty and the emotions are raw and also incredibly romantic.

I loved seeing how everything came together in the end. The hits kept coming and the characters kept rising. And that’s what it is all about. I CAN’T WAIT for book three!!!

Overall audience notes:

• Historical Romance
• Language: none
• Romance: closed door
• Violence: moderate
• Content Warnings: miscarriage (from a fall), many childbirth scenes (and loss of mother/child moments as well), war violence and battle themes, blood/gore/injury depictions

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