An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund Series: An Uncertain Choice #1
Publisher: Zondervan (2015)
eARC (256 pages)
Via: NetGalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2015 Alphabet Soup, Read 2015
Synopsis
Due to her parents’ promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, a month before her birthday, a friend of her father’s enters the kingdom and proclaims her parents’ will left a second choice. If Rosemarie can marry before the eve of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow.
Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the competition for her heart seemingly results in a knight playing foul, she begins to wonder if the cloister is the best place after all. If only one of the knights the one who appears the most guilty had not already captured her heart.
Find the book: Goodreads
I was surprised how much I liked this book. Lady Rosemarie Montfort is an almost 18 year old heiress of Ashby. After her parents’ death of the plague four years ago, Rosemarie learned of a vow they made before her birth: At the age of eighteen she would enter the convent. That is only one month away.
Then the Duke of Rivenshire, Rosemarie’s godfather, arrives with some interesting news. There is an exception to the vow Rosemarie’s parents made: If she falls in love and marries before midnight on her eighteenth birthday, she does not need to enter the convent. Along with delivering this news, the Duke also brings three knights who will attempt to win her heart: Sir Collin Goodrich, Sir Bennet Windsor, and Sir Derrick Harding.
Rosemarie agrees to the Duke’s plan to allow the three knights to court her and, if she happens to fall in love, marry one of the them. This is all to the dismay of Rosemarie’s long-time advisor, Abbot Francis Michael.
The story is a clean romance (it is Christian fiction) with some really nice twists. Sure, I could pretty much guess who Rosemarie was going to fall in love with but some of the twists were really surprising, especially near the end.
The world-building, however, wasn’t there. We have no idea of the size of the village by Rosemarie’s castle. We know there are the poor that Rosemarie cares for, a town square, the estate of the sheriff, the castle, and the convent. That is about it. Rosemarie is said to the love the poor and she goes to help them bringing food and medicine. But we really don’t know anything about them as people. We don’t even know the names of any of them. I just wanted to know more, I guess.
This is a nice addition to the Christian Young Adult genre. A sweet story of a young lady faced with a decision that will impact the rest of her life.
Which Reading Challenges?
- You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
- Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge (U)
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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