My medieval-loving heart is sated once more. For the nonce. Because one can’t really finish reading this book without being curious—nay, eager—for the next story in the series, however satisfying this one may have been.

What I love most about Tamara Leigh’s medieval novels is that they’re neither medieval-lite nor pseudo-medieval. Rather than being a story placed into a medieval setting, it is the medieval setting that has birthed this story—more specifically, the Battle of Hastings and the years of unrest that follow. Not only does she plumb the depths of that unrest in this novel, but in Hawisa and Gaurin’s story, she creates a nearly-impossible tangle of conflicting loyalties, sympathies, and desires that thrilled me to the fingertips. Enemies-to-lover is a favourite trope of mine, and this is about as good as it gets!

In Guarin, Tamara Leigh has created a hero whose physical and mental strength captivates even as his situation threatens to strip him of both. She also excels at creating heroines who are strong and intelligent, yet who also retain authentic femininity. I loved the conversation between Hawisa and Sir Maël towards the end of the novel, when he puzzles over two of his cousins falling prey to the charms of Saxon women:

Sir Maël: “What is it about the women of England that so ensnares, especially with your warrior’s ways that ought not appeal in the absence of soft and sweet?”

Hawisa: “Perhaps the blood of long gone shield maidens yet courses our veins—the determined, hard, and fierce appearing when it is not enough for our men to defend family, home, and country. . . . But you are wrong to believe there is no soft and sweet when armor and weapons are shed, Sir Maël. For the right man.”

See what I mean? And it’s not just what is said, but the WAY it is said—something that is true of so much of this novel.

And I mustn’t forget the growing regard between Guarin and Hawisa and the circumstances under which it flourishes. For many authors, a situation where one character is held in the captivity of another would rely on physical attraction to carry the romantic storyline, but Tamara Leigh makes it so much richer and more complex than that. And thus, so much more satisfying.

In closing, it’s worth mentioning that the nature of this series means that the stories overlap. The author notes at the beginning of the book that there will be some repetition of scenes that appear in previous books, and there was even a pivotal scene from an earlier novel, Lady of Conquest, as well. These scenes are all presented from a different perspective than in previous books, and I loved getting the different angles and even filling in some blanks that were previously unknown. But most of all, I LOVED having the huge blank that was Guarin and Hawisa’s story filled in. Now if only I didn’t have to wait so long for Dougray’s story. It promises to be another great one!