Title: Adrien
Author: Anna Markland
Genre: Medieval Romance, Historical Fiction
Book Blurb:
The third son returns to Montbryce after an absence of eight years. He’s been in England, living under an assumed name and trying to infiltrate King John’s inner circle. Sent by John as an emissary to a council of war in Flanders, he is unmasked as a spy. To make matters worse, he finds himself trapped into marriage and forced to flee with his unwanted bride.
Marissa d’Ascq sees marriage to Adrien as her last hope of escaping her mother’s cruel tyranny. Little does she know the dangers she and Adrien will face in their flight.
My Review:
Exposed as a spy, Adrien must marry a woman he doesn’t love and flee with her, but surprises unfold along the way, including love. Foolishly thinking he could outsmart King John, Adrien returns to Montbryce after a long absence. Portraying a de Quincey, King John sends him to Flanders where his cover is blown. Forced to marry a woman he doesn’t even care about then flee; Adrien must gage his next move. His bride seems relieved to be in his presence. What sort of secrets is she hiding? Together, they must forge a new life and stay three steps ahead of their enemies. Will they survive and possibly find love, or will they both wind up on the gallows?
Adrien is a historical romance full of adventure, intrigue, cloak and dagger suspense, slow-burn romance, and so much more. The descriptive narration kept me invested in the story along with the characters. There were times when I wanted to slug Adrien and hug Marissa. I admit I got very attached to these two. The plot moves at a great pace with plenty of action and suspenseful scenes. The romance took a while to bloom but given the circumstances, it’s understandable. The ending was very satisfactory, in my opinion. If you’re a medieval romance reader, like me, you’ll love Adrien. If you’re a historical romance reader, pick up Adrien. I can’t wait to go back and read the rest of this series. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
As an amateur genealogist (aka an addict of family tree research) I became obsessed with tracing my English roots back to the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.
This turned out to be a pipe dream since I am not descended from the nobility and records were not kept for "common folks" until much later. Even then, early parish records are often indecipherable.
As a result, I began to write stories about a noble medieval family I conjured from my imagination. The Montbryces were born.
Like many people, I had an inner compulsion to write one good book. What was originally intended as that one book about my fictional family eventually became the 12-book series, The Montbryce Legacy.
In other words, writing superseded genealogy as my principal addiction, and I have since published more than 60 novels and novellas. Almost all are historical romances that feature, Vikings, Highlanders, medieval knights or Regency earls. You can find more details on my website https://www.annamarkland.com
I've lived most of my life in Canada, though I was born in the UK. An English grammar school education instilled in me a love of European history which continues to this day. While I may boast of being a proud Canadian, I'm still a Lancashire lass at heart.
Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an elementary school teacher, a job I loved. I then worked as administrator for a world-wide disaster relief organization.
I love cats, although I haven't been able to bring myself to adopt another one since unexpectedly losing Topaz a few years ago.
I have few domestic skills. You'll notice most of my heroines hate sewing!
I try to follow three simple writing guidelines. I give my characters free rein to tell their story, which often turns out to be different from the original version in my head. I'm a firm believer in love at first sight. My protagonists may initially deny the attraction but, eventually, my heroes and heroines find their soul mates. It seems only natural then to include scenes of intimacy enjoyed by people who love each other deeply. I believe such intimacy is wholesome. Historical accuracy is important to me, although I have been known to tweak history when necessary. I write romance because I find happy endings very satisfying.
Social Media Links:
On Facebook as Anna Markland and Anna Markland Novels, on Twitter as @annamarkland, and Pinterest and BookBub as Anna Markland. I also have a reader group on Facebook called Markland’s Merrymakers and new members are always welcome.
Reviewed by: Mrs. N