Hereafter by Jody Hedlund

Emmeline has always known what her adoptive parents have sacrificed to keep her identity as the one of the lost princesses a secret.  She does not mind living in the secluded forest, so when her father returns from town and tells her they must move to find her sisters participating in the rebellion, she is hesitant to leave her comfortable home.  But it is not long before Prince Ethelrex finds her and forces her to marry him.  Faced with the loss of her family, her home, and her freedom, Emmeline is not sure she has the courage to overcome all the odds to join her sisters in the war for the throne.

A perfect end to a great series!  I loved the characters in this book and really enjoyed reading about how their love, which was initially forced, develops and changes as it faces trials over and over again.  The romance is clean and certainly appropriate for young adults.  The characters were also individually challenged to grow into strong and courageous people.  The ending has a wonderful conclusion to the fight for the crown and the lost princesses we have met in the other books.  I think it is best to read this series in order as it gives you the most background for this final story.  There are great lessons of faith and life, applicable for any reader, intertwined among beautiful descriptions of dense forests, majestic castles, and dashing knights and princesses.  This series is directed toward young adult readers, but I think you will enjoy the books no matter your age!  I was a little sad as I read the last page, simply because I never wanted this series to end, but the conclusion to this series was absolutely perfect!  I highly recommend this novel and this series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Foremost by Jody Hedlund

Maribel has spent her entire life in an isolated abbey, learning the art of healing with various herbs by the nuns who raised her.  She desires to dedicate her life to God by taking her vows as a nun, but a mysterious visitor arrives to the abbey and reveals that she is one of the lost princesses. She enlists the help of her childhood friend Edmund to take a dangerous journey through the highlands to reach her sister and their rebel army in the north.  Edmund has trouble hiding his romantic feelings towards Maribel as they face danger and the persistent army of King Ethelwulf, bent on preventing Maribel from reaching her sister.  As Edmund gives everything to save Maribel, she begins to wonder if she can give up her dreams of being a nun and love Edmund in return.

This series by Jody Hedlund has been so captivating!  I devoured this book in just two days, reading it every second that I could get and staying up late to finish it.  This book may be marketed to young adults, but I think readers of all ages will enjoy the daring adventure, fascinating characters, and sweet romance.  I enjoyed the growth of the characters in the book and their development of friendship into something more.  I think this is my favorite book in the series so far! There was even more danger surrounding the mysterious hidden treasure and the relentless pursuit of the army of evil King Ethelwulf.  I loved how strong and compassionate and caring Maribel was in this story.  Edmund also has a unique skill and his dedication to his childhood friend is so sweet.  I also liked that we got to catch up a bit with Adelaide from the first book.  I am eagerly awaiting the next book and the conclusion to the series!  Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Always by Jody Hedlund

On her deathbed, the Queen of Mercia charges her lady-in-waiting Lady Felicia to save her infant daughters from the invasion of King Ethelwulf.  Lady Felicia flees the horrors of the invasion to protect the princesses, only to run into Lance, an elite guard, as she bolts.  She learns that the King of Mercia also charged Lance with caring for the princesses and reluctantly allows him to help her escape.  With wolves and specially trained soldiers in pursuit, Felician and Lance do everything in their power to save the princesses before it is too late.

This novella was a perfect beginning to a great new series by Jody Hedlund!  The story is set in a historical fairytale like setting with kings and queens amidst picturesque kingdoms being fought over by the tyrannical King Ethelwulf.  This novella does not read like a novella in the sense that the characters have sufficient time to develop, the plot has depth and great descriptions, and the reader has time to truly get to know the story.  I loved the strength and bravery of the characters and enjoyed watching the romance develop.  The plot has some suspense as the danger lurks along every corner in wait.  This book may be marketed to Young Adults, but I must say that readers of all ages will love this novel!  I most highly recommend this book and am eagerly awaiting the rest of the series to see what happens next!

I received a copy of this book from author in exchange for an honest review.