Title: Promise Me Christmas
Author: Gini Rifkin
Genre: Historical Medieval Romance
Book Blurb:
The nights are growing longer and the winter snows are coming—Darkenwald Castle is under siege.
Lord Guy Blackthorne is prepared to lay down his life for his children, his wife, and all who seek his protection. But as renegades, mercenaries, and political intrigue surround his ancient family stronghold, he’s forced to stay his hand against those who would dare to attack his fortress.
As supplies and hope dwindle, Lady Vespa fears Yule will not be one of good cheer, and the children shall have no gifts this year. At least she and Guy have one another, for that she is thankful. But there are few private moments to share their love, and every endeavor to satisfy their passion is interrupted when the enemy attempts to invade the castle.
On Christmas Eve, when a battle to the death begins, Guy faces his greatest challenge. Now Vespa’s wish for a happy Yule celebration turns to a prayer for her beloved’s safety.
My Review:
As enemies attack on Christmas Eve, Lord Guy prepares to die to save his family while Lady Vespa prays for her husband’s life. Will this Yule be draped in greenery or black? Promise Me Christmas is a heart wrenching medieval romance I couldn’t put down. The descriptive narration is poignant and draws the reader into the story. The setting is historically accurate. The world-building is immersive. The characters, though, are what make Promise Me Christmas a book worth reading this holiday season.
Let’s start with the characters. The characters are well-written, emotive, and right in line with the era. I connected with both Lord Guy and Lady Vespa. Such a lovely couple who finds happiness when and where they can. Even with the threat of war, their love is unwavering. The rest of the characters are expertly written.
The narration is very detailed with impressive world-building. The tone and foreshadowing speak volumes about the time period. Every scene is described down to the last detail. I found myself becoming a part of the story the more I read.
I love medieval romance and this medieval holiday romance spoke to my heart. Brilliant from start to finish, Promise Me Christmas took my breath away. I can honestly confess it’s a gem and a reread.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon: https://books2read.com/u/mKVOwE
Author Biography:
Gini Rifkin writes stories of love and adventure. Her settings include the American West, Medieval England, Victorian England, and Contemporary thriller and fantasy. When not reading or writing, she has the privilege of caring for a menagerie of abandoned animals including ducks, goats, donkeys, and cats. Born in Illinois, when struck by wanderlust, she moved to Colorado and met her husband, Gary. They shared the journey for 30 years, spending vacations canoeing, doing Mountain Man reenacting, and traveling around this great country. Although Gary has passed on, he left her with the skills to soldier on and a little bit of him lives in every hero she creates. Among other honors, she has received two Excellence in Writing awards from The Colorado Author’s League, and The Beverley Award from Romance Writers of the Rockies. When not reading or writing, she is trying to master the art of spinning and weaving goat hair. Her writing keeps her hungry to learn new things, and she considers family and friends her most treasured of gifts.
Social Media Links:
Amazon author https://amzn.to/2R53KA9
Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2xPs9S4
AudioBooks https://adbl.co/2OlWbGJ
The Wild Rose Press https://catalog.wildrosepress.com/searchresults.php?searchtext=Gini+Rifkin&Submit2=Search+Titles%2C+Authors%2C+ISBNs
Reviewed by: Nancy