While I wasn't as fond of the Wandering Harlot, this addition to Marie's story kept me riveted.

Marie's rags to riches story is played out against political intrigue, adventure and supposed loss. It also does well to balance Marie's life as lady of the house with Michel's work in the political field. So that both characters portray the vast gender divide of the period, intersecting at key moments.

A love story undercut with adventure set amidst a fascinating time period.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Marie lives happily in Sobernburg Castle with her beloved husband, Michel Adler, a tremendous achievement for a woman who was once the “Wandering Harlot. The couple longs for a family, but when Michel is called to battle against the rebellious Hussites, they have to put those dreams on hold until—if they’re lucky—Michel returns home.
Soon after his departure, Marie is thrilled to find she is already with child, but this bright news is quickly tarnished by anxiety for her husband’s return. News of him trickles in: first that he’s been knighted for his exemplary courage in battle...and then that he disappeared without a trace during a grisly massacre and is presumed dead. Pregnant and alone, Marie’s place in the world is once again precarious. Unwilling to abandon the hope that her husband has somehow survived, Marie escapes from the castle and takes to the road once more to find Michel and save her family.

This is the second book in the Marie series. I hadn't read the first book prior to picking this one up from Net Galley. Simply because I didn't realise there was a first one...

And I just didn't connect with it. I found the characters to be a bit flat, the writing was not as evocative and descriptive as it should have been for a really good historical fiction novel, and the overall plot was just a little lacklustre. Nothing really wrong with any of it...just not as good as others I have read in the genre...

However, I have to say that the German setting, as opposed to the boring Olde English Castle made for a nice change of pace...


Paul
ARH