One of my favorite aspects of Lions in the Garden was the setting. I’m no history buff, and I don’t know much about Prague and Budapest, so the historical tidbits Chelsea sprinkled in were really interesting, especially with the religious war brewing and the king’s precarious hold on the realm.

I love stories with castles, swords, and romance, so of course this book caught my eye…even without any magic. :) Mila is a likeable character, and while she’s in the hopeless situation of being a noble forced into an undesirable, loveless marriage, she doesn’t just roll over and accept it. She tries to do something about it, which drives her right into Marc, a commoner. Forbidden romance, anyone? But while Marc may be a peasant and a *gasp* Protestant as well, he’s honorable and refuses to let Mila head into danger on her own. So, he takes her back to her prison, the castle. Not exactly what Mila had in mind when she snuck out in her quest for freedom.

Marc is not only honorable and likeable, he’s in a tight spot too. He sees every day the poverty of the people and how they’re oppressed by the nobility. Some members of his family feel the only way to force change is through less-than-noble methods, and he gets stuck between what’s right, what’s wrong, and what to do about it.

While the romance is slow moving, there’s tension and a definite attraction between Mila and Marc. They’re both respectable characters who are restrained by their circumstances, so that’s understandable. I love how Marc reveals to Mila the world outside the castle, the terrible problems citizens face, the danger and injustice. And what I enjoyed best about them both together is how they don’t sit back and let others deal with it—they tackle the problems head on, no matter their station.

Lions in the Garden doesn’t end on a cliff-hanger, but the story is nowhere near complete and will leave you ready for the rest. Nice historical romance.

The synopsis made me want to read Lions in the Garden. But, I must say that this book was not my cup of tea. I didn't get drawn into the plot or feel any sort of connection or feelings for the characters. the dialogue was ok, at best and the scenes were not so clear. I didn't get past the first couple of chapters without putting it down, at least twice. But, I kept trying. I had mixed emotions about this book, I loved and hated it all at the same time. Overall, I finished the book, which got better halfway through and I wasn't left with too many unanswered questions. I'm not sure I would continue with book 2.

Boring, flat, and failed to hold my interest after the first 20%. DNF.

Lions in the Garden opens with the main character Ludmila (or Mila) trying to escape from her home in Prague, and the possibility of being married off to a an elderly baron. Unfortunately Mila was not prepared for the dangers of life outside the castle and was very quickly set upon by bandits in the local forest. There she meets the blacksmiths son, a handsome boy by the name of Marc, who rescues and returns her to the castle. Little do they realize that their meeting has set off a chain of events that will alter both of their lives forever.

I was a little iffy about this book at first, Ludmila seemed a bit silly that she would run off into the woods unprepared and then of course the handsome boy swoops in to save her. Once I got further into it though I completely fell in love with this story! Mila was such an interesting character and even though she has led a fairly privileged life, she was still a very strong character. She kept getting thrust into awful situations but still maintains her hope and stands up for herself. She is a bit knaive and too trusting of people, but stands up for what she believes is right.

There was chemistry right off the bat between Marc and Mila, I really enjoyed seeing their relationship progress and was rooting for them to find a way to be together. The romance was a bit rushed but fit in with the urgency of their situation. I found Marc to be a immediately likeable character and would love to learn more about him and his family. The book was written from Mila’s point of view and I am hoping that book two will have Marc’s viewpoint as well. There were a few other secondary characters I would have enjoyed getting to know better such as Mark’s brothers Jiri and Henrik, and Mila’s nursemaid Branka.

The story was well paced and kept me interested until the very end. As soon as I finished I wanted to read the next book and immediately preordered it on my Kindle!

Light, entertaining read -- I think it makes a good beach/airport read.