‘Ice ran through (Megan’s) veins at the thought. She slipped her hand over the hilt of her hidden dirk and hardened her jaw. If circumstance came down to protecting Rosie, then she would do what she had to do to keep her safe…’ – Passage from L.J. Dare’s The King’s Blade
I mentioned to a friend of mine that I was reading a historical romance set in Scotland, entitled The King’s Blade.
“Oh, awesome!” she gushed. “You mean like Outlander?”
No, NOT like Outlander! Outlander is to historical romance what Twilight is to paranormal romance. (If you see that as a positive comparison, go sit in the corner. And don’t come out until you’ve had plenty of time to think about what you’ve done wrong. Seriously…)
The King’s Blade, however, is EXCELLENT! I finished it over a single long, lazy day ‘cuz I couldn’t make myself put it down. Set in the fifteenth century, the characters completely bring the story to vivid life: Self-reliant Megan, jealous Bridget, sweet Rosie, and of the course John the Square-Jawed Hero. The story is extremely suspenseful, and actually opens with a scene of mass murder that sets a tense tone for the rest of the tale.
While The King’s Blade is dubbed ‘historical romance’, I’m not sure it quite fits the description. It’s not nearly as sappy (and certainly not as lewd) as most tales labeled as ‘romance’ these days. I kinda place it alongside such stories as The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Johnny Tremain, and The Red Badge of Courage. It’s just a gripping tale set within a designated time period and setting; I suspect that simple ‘historical fiction’ is a far more accurate description.
‘Romance’ or not, though…The King’s Blade is just plain GREAT reading!
To Order The King’s Blade from Amazon, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Blade-L-J-Dare-ebook/dp/B06XHSYH5B/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=L.J.+Dare&qid=1601674128&sr=8-4
To Order from Barnes and Noble, click here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-kings-blade-lj-dare/1125935807?ean=9781936556229
What a wonderful review. You really captured the excitement that is found in The King’s Blade.
Callie
I certainly tried! Her writing reminds me of Elizabeth George Speare. (MAJOR fave!)
I agree with everything you said. This was a great read. Suspenseful, very detailed in every way.
I must add this to my TBR list!