Book Review: For Love & Honor by Jody Hedlund|Honestlyspeakingonbooks

 Book Review: For Love & Honor by Jody   

                        Hedlund

 

For Love & Honor was one of the first books that I read when I had just started reading romance. I was very new to this type of writing and immediately fell in love with the “Noble Knights” series, especially this particular book. As I had only read it in an ebook format, I resolved that I would one day acquire a printed copy. Three years later and my wish has now been fulfilled!

I enjoyed it a lot more the first time I’d read it and it didn’t quite fascinate me much this time around. I still found it to be a lovely story that I would be happy to read again!

This is my review on For Love & Honor by Jody Hedlund.

On The Back:

Lady Sabine is harboring a skin blemish, one, that if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger, and damage her chances of making a good marriage. After all, what nobleman would want to marry a woman so flawed?

Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from an imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman. As a man of honor, he loathes the idea of courting a woman for her money, but with time running out for his family’s safety, what other choice does he have?

As Lady Sabine and Sir Bennet are thrust together under dangerous circumstances, will they both be able to learn to trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Or will those secrets ultimately lead to their demise?

My Review:

Sir Bennet, one of the side characters in the previous books of the series and now the hero in this one, faces a frustrating dilemma. 

After his brother, Aldric, gambled away the fortunes of Maidstone and incurred an enormous amount of debt, he’s left with the responsibility of repaying the agitated neighbouring lords. If he is unable, Maidstone will inevitably be under attack and Bennet will stand to lose the priceless treasures passed down from his ancestors. He has two options. Sell the ancient heirlooms for a mere fraction of their worth or marry a woman for her money. Both options he detests.

Lady Sabine is travelling to see the infamous Maidstone collection. After being invited along with her grandmother, she is eager to add some of their relics to her own personal collection. The thought of marriage seems forbidden to her as she is marred with a repulsive skin blemish, one that could have her ostracized from society after being branded a witch. Little does she know that she is, in fact, Maidstone’s last resort.

I thought the plot was very romantic and well done. The dialogue was saturated in sarcasm which seemed a bit unrealistic but I guess it was alright. There were no serious plot twists, it was your usual happily-ever-after where pretty much everything works out and all the misunderstandings are resolved and on and on. And I like that kind of stuff. I would have like it better if Sabine never fell in love and shunned Bennet but, of course, I didn’t write the story. Anyway....

Sabine was a fair heroine. She was very sarcastic and she tried to have a self-sufficient and indifferent demeanor but deep down inside, she was vulnerable and did care about what others thought of her.

About her skin blemish......

I’ve read a few others reviews on the book and some people thought that the consequences of the blemish were a bit unrealistically exaggerated. And, well, in my opinion, it really depends on how you imagine it looked. I imagined it to be very gruesome and “zombie-like” and so, it seemed fitting that she would be branded as a witch because of it. I do understand why some people would think that a bit harsh but..... I made some exceptions since it is a work of fiction.

Now...Bennet. He wasn’t really my type of hero. He was too handsome, he wanted to marry a beautiful lady, a little too egotistical, etcetera, etcetera. I wasn’t really fond of him (which was why I wanted Sabine to dislike him, too) because he was kind of like, a regular guy, you know?

I suppose, in the end, he served his purpose in providing the heroine with her happily-ever-after, so, I guess I can excuse his flaws.

My favourite part of the novel was when Bennet finally saw Sabine’s blemish. I was kind of happy with his reaction and I had hoped that Sabine would leave him feeling guilty forever but....it didn’t happen that way.

My biggest problem with the book was that it was written in first person, something I’ve grown to dislike. I had higher expectations since I, somehow, remembered it being a lot more romantic that it really was and that is my own fault.

I’m very grateful that I had a chance to read it again and will definitely re-read it!

I think it was cute, simple story that all romance lovers will enjoy!

 

                                                      Sarah E