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An Uncertain Choice #2
A Daring Sacrifice
The only thing harder than fighting for what’s right…is fighting their feelings for each other.
For three years, the Cloaked Bandit has terrorized Wessex, robbing the nobility by knifepoint and a well-placed arrow. But little does anyone know, this bandit is in fact Juliana Wessex, the rightful ruler of the land and a girl her tyrannical uncle—the current Lord Wessex—believes was killed along with her father.
Juliana has become skilled at hiding from Lord Wessex in the forest, using her stolen goods to provide food and shelter to the peasants her uncle has taxed into poverty. But when she robs Collin Goodrich, her red hair betrays her true identity. Lord Collin remembers Juliana from their childhood—and challenges her to stay on his estate for a week in hopes she will leave her thieving ways and become a proper lady once more. Juliana is intrigued by Collin and his charms, but only time will tell if he can overcome her distaste of the nobility—as well as win her heart.
For three years, the Cloaked Bandit has terrorized Wessex, robbing the nobility by knifepoint and a well-placed arrow. But little does anyone know, this bandit is in fact Juliana Wessex, the rightful ruler of the land and a girl her tyrannical uncle—the current Lord Wessex—believes was killed along with her father.
Juliana has become skilled at hiding from Lord Wessex in the forest, using her stolen goods to provide food and shelter to the peasants her uncle has taxed into poverty. But when she robs Collin Goodrich, her red hair betrays her true identity. Lord Collin remembers Juliana from their childhood—and challenges her to stay on his estate for a week in hopes she will leave her thieving ways and become a proper lady once more. Juliana is intrigued by Collin and his charms, but only time will tell if he can overcome her distaste of the nobility—as well as win her heart.
223 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2016
194 people are currently reading
4067 people want to read
About the author
Jody Hedlund
83 books4,614 followersJody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle. Find out more at jodyhedlund.com.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.
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March 29, 2017
About this book:
“The only thing harder than fighting for what’s right…is fighting their feelings for each other.
For three years, the Cloaked Bandit has terrorized Wessex, robbing the nobility by knifepoint and a well-placed arrow. But little dos anyone know, this bandit is in fact Juliana Wessex, the rightful ruler of the land and a girl her tyrannical uncle—the current Lord Wessex—believes was killed along with her father.
Juliana has become skilled at hiding from Lord Wessex in the forest, using her stolen goods to provide food and shelter to the peasants her uncle has taxed into poverty. But when she robs Collin Goodrich, her red hair betrays her true identity. Lord Collin remembers Juliana from their childhood—and challenges her to stay on his estate for a week in hopes she will leave her thieving ways and become a proper lady once more. Juliana is intrigued by Collin and his charms, but only time will tell if he can overcome her distaste of the nobility—as well as win her heart.”
Series: Book #2 in the “An Uncertain Choice” series. Review of Book #1 Here!
Spiritual Content- A few Prayers & Thank God (twice); An ‘H’ is capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying & a chapel; A few mentions of Mary & Saints; A few mentions of blessings/being blessed; A few mentions of sins; A mention of Heaven; A mention of a convent.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘idiot’s and two form of ‘stupid’s; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Lots of Torture, being tied to a stake, pain, being hit/thrashed/slapped, injuries, blood/bleeding & passing out (semi-detailed to detailed); Fighting, arrows, shooting, knifes & injuring others (semi-detailed to very detailed); Thieves, stealing, ambushes & threats (up to semi-detailed); Many, many mentions of torture methods, blood/bleeding, major injuries, being burned at the stake, hangings, being quartered, slitting throats, eyes gouged out, cutting off someone’s hands/fingers, it almost happening and threats of doing so (semi-detailed to very detailed); Mentions of deaths, pain, injuries & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed to detailed); Mentions of knifes, arrows, fighting, beatings, ambushes & stealing; Mentions of hunting, dead animals & stealing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of drinking, ale & wine; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of an injured horse bleeding & dying (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of fights; A few mentions of lies.
Sexual Content- a thumb-to-lips touch, two (semi-detailed) palm/finger kisses, a (semi-detailed) cheek kiss, an ear kiss, three hair/head/forehead kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, four semi-detailed kisses, and four detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (up to detailed); Lots of Touches, Embraces, Nearness, Shivers, Warmth & Heat (very semi-detailed to detailed); Lot of Noticing & Staring (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of kisses, kissing & self-control (semi-detailed); A few mentions of scandals, reputations & chaperones; A few mentions of flirting & swooning; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of the thought of a lusty man taking advantage of a woman; Love, desire, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of a man’s bare chest & his muscles (semi-detailed); A few mentions of how a dress hugs Juliana’s curves.
-Juliana Wessex, age 17
-Collin Goodrich, age 20
1st person P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1390 {Medieval}
221 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
I wasn’t a fan of this author’s adult books because of the sexual content. I wasn’t a fan of the first book of this series due to the fluff plot-line and harsh torture methods. I thought I would try her once more, before I said no more.
The torture, gore & overall gruesomeness was out of hand. Never mind all the kisses, touches & desires, the torture scenes alone would have been enough for a one-star rating.
But this book had all those kisses, touches & desires.
You know what really got me though? We’ve got the instant love, okay, no shock, whatever, I can deal. But, Collin. Collin says he loves Juliana. If you love her, Collin, why didn’t marriage come to your mind? You’re totally enjoying kissing & touching her, but you don’t even think about marrying her until her protector tells you “If you want her, then you’ll make her your wife first.” I swear, it’s like a light bulb went off in Collin’s head.
So, Collin. Not my favorite.
Juliana. I wanted to like her at first. I had a hard time though. At one point, she’s over here holding a knife to Collin’s throat and then check him out at the same time! (In semi-detailed muscle and tight pants noticing, might I add.)
Both of them were just too good at what they did. They did everything pretty well and it always impressed the other. (Then, in Collin’s case, he basically bragged about how much better he was at shooting, tracking, etc. than someone else.) They both just came across as flat to me. They would show off how good they were at something, but then there would be a “coincidental” flaw in their personalities that felt like it was added as an afterthought.
The torture and details of all the methods was just awful. Honestly, it wasn’t needed. You can write about something without getting fully into the details. Why does the author find it so fascinating to include such details?
So, I’m disappointed. But I’m not shocked.
(If you found this review helpful, please give it a like!)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“The only thing harder than fighting for what’s right…is fighting their feelings for each other.
For three years, the Cloaked Bandit has terrorized Wessex, robbing the nobility by knifepoint and a well-placed arrow. But little dos anyone know, this bandit is in fact Juliana Wessex, the rightful ruler of the land and a girl her tyrannical uncle—the current Lord Wessex—believes was killed along with her father.
Juliana has become skilled at hiding from Lord Wessex in the forest, using her stolen goods to provide food and shelter to the peasants her uncle has taxed into poverty. But when she robs Collin Goodrich, her red hair betrays her true identity. Lord Collin remembers Juliana from their childhood—and challenges her to stay on his estate for a week in hopes she will leave her thieving ways and become a proper lady once more. Juliana is intrigued by Collin and his charms, but only time will tell if he can overcome her distaste of the nobility—as well as win her heart.”
Series: Book #2 in the “An Uncertain Choice” series. Review of Book #1 Here!
Spiritual Content- A few Prayers & Thank God (twice); An ‘H’ is capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying & a chapel; A few mentions of Mary & Saints; A few mentions of blessings/being blessed; A few mentions of sins; A mention of Heaven; A mention of a convent.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘idiot’s and two form of ‘stupid’s; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Lots of Torture, being tied to a stake, pain, being hit/thrashed/slapped, injuries, blood/bleeding & passing out (semi-detailed to detailed); Fighting, arrows, shooting, knifes & injuring others (semi-detailed to very detailed); Thieves, stealing, ambushes & threats (up to semi-detailed); Many, many mentions of torture methods, blood/bleeding, major injuries, being burned at the stake, hangings, being quartered, slitting throats, eyes gouged out, cutting off someone’s hands/fingers, it almost happening and threats of doing so (semi-detailed to very detailed); Mentions of deaths, pain, injuries & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed to detailed); Mentions of knifes, arrows, fighting, beatings, ambushes & stealing; Mentions of hunting, dead animals & stealing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of drinking, ale & wine; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of an injured horse bleeding & dying (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of fights; A few mentions of lies.
Sexual Content- a thumb-to-lips touch, two (semi-detailed) palm/finger kisses, a (semi-detailed) cheek kiss, an ear kiss, three hair/head/forehead kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, four semi-detailed kisses, and four detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (up to detailed); Lots of Touches, Embraces, Nearness, Shivers, Warmth & Heat (very semi-detailed to detailed); Lot of Noticing & Staring (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of kisses, kissing & self-control (semi-detailed); A few mentions of scandals, reputations & chaperones; A few mentions of flirting & swooning; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of the thought of a lusty man taking advantage of a woman; Love, desire, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of a man’s bare chest & his muscles (semi-detailed); A few mentions of how a dress hugs Juliana’s curves.
-Juliana Wessex, age 17
-Collin Goodrich, age 20
1st person P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1390 {Medieval}
221 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
I wasn’t a fan of this author’s adult books because of the sexual content. I wasn’t a fan of the first book of this series due to the fluff plot-line and harsh torture methods. I thought I would try her once more, before I said no more.
The torture, gore & overall gruesomeness was out of hand. Never mind all the kisses, touches & desires, the torture scenes alone would have been enough for a one-star rating.
But this book had all those kisses, touches & desires.
You know what really got me though? We’ve got the instant love, okay, no shock, whatever, I can deal. But, Collin. Collin says he loves Juliana. If you love her, Collin, why didn’t marriage come to your mind? You’re totally enjoying kissing & touching her, but you don’t even think about marrying her until her protector tells you “If you want her, then you’ll make her your wife first.” I swear, it’s like a light bulb went off in Collin’s head.
So, Collin. Not my favorite.
Juliana. I wanted to like her at first. I had a hard time though. At one point, she’s over here holding a knife to Collin’s throat and then check him out at the same time! (In semi-detailed muscle and tight pants noticing, might I add.)
Both of them were just too good at what they did. They did everything pretty well and it always impressed the other. (Then, in Collin’s case, he basically bragged about how much better he was at shooting, tracking, etc. than someone else.) They both just came across as flat to me. They would show off how good they were at something, but then there would be a “coincidental” flaw in their personalities that felt like it was added as an afterthought.
The torture and details of all the methods was just awful. Honestly, it wasn’t needed. You can write about something without getting fully into the details. Why does the author find it so fascinating to include such details?
So, I’m disappointed. But I’m not shocked.
(If you found this review helpful, please give it a like!)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
March 14, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
First off I love the cover of this book, I think it's so beautiful and it continues onto the back of the book.
***SOME SPOILERS***
I loved the idea of Juliana being a female version of Robin Hood.
Her father was killed and everyone thought she was as well and her cousin took over her castle and lands. Juliana went into hiding with a group of people and they lived in the forest for 3 years. They stole from the rich and gave to the poor. :-) She's really awesome with a bow and arrow!
I loved the characters of Bulldog and Thatch, they were a father and son that Juliana stayed in the forest with and did what they had to do. There is some evilness in the book done to Thatch, but thankfully it all worked out.
One day Juliana stole from Lord Collin. As her and Thatch were leaving, Collin figured out who she was and he pursued her at one point.
Needless to say, Collin fell in love with Juliana and took her to his castle.
They did fall in love, Juliana got Collin to be an even better person than he was and they fought to get what was rightfully hers. So in the end it all worked out, but it's left open for another book.
*I would like to thank HarperCollinsPublishers and BookLookBloggers for a print copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
First off I love the cover of this book, I think it's so beautiful and it continues onto the back of the book.
***SOME SPOILERS***
I loved the idea of Juliana being a female version of Robin Hood.
Her father was killed and everyone thought she was as well and her cousin took over her castle and lands. Juliana went into hiding with a group of people and they lived in the forest for 3 years. They stole from the rich and gave to the poor. :-) She's really awesome with a bow and arrow!
I loved the characters of Bulldog and Thatch, they were a father and son that Juliana stayed in the forest with and did what they had to do. There is some evilness in the book done to Thatch, but thankfully it all worked out.
One day Juliana stole from Lord Collin. As her and Thatch were leaving, Collin figured out who she was and he pursued her at one point.
Needless to say, Collin fell in love with Juliana and took her to his castle.
They did fall in love, Juliana got Collin to be an even better person than he was and they fought to get what was rightfully hers. So in the end it all worked out, but it's left open for another book.
*I would like to thank HarperCollinsPublishers and BookLookBloggers for a print copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
July 18, 2020
Christian fiction and a female Robin Hood? Yes,please! I'll take two :-)
I loved this entire story. Her living in the woods and stealing for the poor and the whole love story between her and a nobleman which she thought she'd ought not love. The whole thing was stinking cute and adorable. A very sweet read.
I loved this entire story. Her living in the woods and stealing for the poor and the whole love story between her and a nobleman which she thought she'd ought not love. The whole thing was stinking cute and adorable. A very sweet read.
Read
August 28, 2016I got over halfway through A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund, but finally decided to put it down. There was "instant love", a lot of flattery and even kissing before any thoughts of a relationship & marriage, and just some other things that didn't appeal to me personally.
So while I really liked the first book in this series, I won't be finishing the second one. Still hope to give the third a try though when it comes out! *smiles*
So while I really liked the first book in this series, I won't be finishing the second one. Still hope to give the third a try though when it comes out! *smiles*
Want to read
June 17, 2015
*Sees Release date* WHY!!!!!
October 29, 2017
Reasons I quit this book:
1) First person narrator refers to her horse as her "steed" and her "mount" – in the same sentence. And giving it full rein means letting it "plod at a leisurely pace".
2) First person narrator doesn't let a medieval setting stop her from using modern terms like "ultra-soft" and "lifestyle". As long as she throws in the occasional archaic contraction – 'twas, 'twould, that sort of t'ing – it's all good, right?
3) First person narrator is adept at disguising herself not only as a man, but also as a wealthy young traveler, apparently completely accepted by all comers despite having no escort, no horses, no baggage, and no warning for her purported host. In medieval England. The ingrained dirt from having lived in the forest for literally years fortunately washes right off in the nearest pond. I'm not sure if the lady she's pretending to be would actually traipse through kitchen, where "The blood from the butchering slickened the floor, along with feathers, and entrails the dogs hadn’t yet cleaned up"; that can't be good for the silk train she's dragging along behind her. But then I suppose that's what servants are for.
4) The spectacularly handsome hero is even richer than he is good-looking, and apparently read L.M. Montgomery when he was small – although he chooses to reference strawberries rather than carrots when teasing the red-headed (spectacularly pretty) heroine. (This being a medieval setting, she does not have a slate to crack over his head, so she kicks him.) Oh, and the touch of his fingers is "as soft as the feathers of a baby bird".
I just couldn't do it.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
1) First person narrator refers to her horse as her "steed" and her "mount" – in the same sentence. And giving it full rein means letting it "plod at a leisurely pace".
2) First person narrator doesn't let a medieval setting stop her from using modern terms like "ultra-soft" and "lifestyle". As long as she throws in the occasional archaic contraction – 'twas, 'twould, that sort of t'ing – it's all good, right?
3) First person narrator is adept at disguising herself not only as a man, but also as a wealthy young traveler, apparently completely accepted by all comers despite having no escort, no horses, no baggage, and no warning for her purported host. In medieval England. The ingrained dirt from having lived in the forest for literally years fortunately washes right off in the nearest pond. I'm not sure if the lady she's pretending to be would actually traipse through kitchen, where "The blood from the butchering slickened the floor, along with feathers, and entrails the dogs hadn’t yet cleaned up"; that can't be good for the silk train she's dragging along behind her. But then I suppose that's what servants are for.
4) The spectacularly handsome hero is even richer than he is good-looking, and apparently read L.M. Montgomery when he was small – although he chooses to reference strawberries rather than carrots when teasing the red-headed (spectacularly pretty) heroine. (This being a medieval setting, she does not have a slate to crack over his head, so she kicks him.) Oh, and the touch of his fingers is "as soft as the feathers of a baby bird".
I just couldn't do it.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
September 22, 2016
**An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
*DNF at 49 PAGES*
First off, this already suffered from far too many Christian medieval romance tropes and I simply can't take it anymore. Honest to goodness, if you've read one, it's like you've read them all. I keep picking them up/requesting them in the vain hope I'll find one that's different and better than the rest but alas, no luck yet.
Juliana is a female Robin Hood, who is referred to as being street smart and good at being a thief and always gets away and WOW just so good at what she does. But even while we're being told this, she makes such stupid decisions and pretty much just seems somewhat incompetent. It almost seems like there was this county-wide conspiracy among everybody that they'd "try" to capture her but actually just let her go to make her think she's good. Anyways, then she robs Colin and it's made abundantly clear that she's not as good as she's been made out to be and he could have captured her like seventeen different times and even when he lets her get away, he still tracks her through the forest and catches her a few hours later. Ugh, that whole scene was gag-worthy. Seriously, there was already semi-creepy cheek and hair touching on Colin's part and that's not acceptable, I'm not sorry. Oh, and at one point, Juliana takes off running and Colin "chuckles" and starts out after her, mentally thinking she has "spunk".
Colin is annoyingly arrogant but probably really just a good guy who simply needs some humility and a different perspective on the peasantry. I'm sure by the end of the book Juliana would have led him to all of these things, true love, and bonus points, an appreciation for the Christian faith.
Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't expect writers to write accurately to the 14th century (or whatever century their book is set in, within reason) but when the writing, and especially dialogue, is so jarring to the setting of the book, it really detracts from the book. Add to that poor grammar, like using "stupider" and "stupidest", and I'm gonna be complaining about it.
*DNF at 49 PAGES*
First off, this already suffered from far too many Christian medieval romance tropes and I simply can't take it anymore. Honest to goodness, if you've read one, it's like you've read them all. I keep picking them up/requesting them in the vain hope I'll find one that's different and better than the rest but alas, no luck yet.
Juliana is a female Robin Hood, who is referred to as being street smart and good at being a thief and always gets away and WOW just so good at what she does. But even while we're being told this, she makes such stupid decisions and pretty much just seems somewhat incompetent. It almost seems like there was this county-wide conspiracy among everybody that they'd "try" to capture her but actually just let her go to make her think she's good. Anyways, then she robs Colin and it's made abundantly clear that she's not as good as she's been made out to be and he could have captured her like seventeen different times and even when he lets her get away, he still tracks her through the forest and catches her a few hours later. Ugh, that whole scene was gag-worthy. Seriously, there was already semi-creepy cheek and hair touching on Colin's part and that's not acceptable, I'm not sorry. Oh, and at one point, Juliana takes off running and Colin "chuckles" and starts out after her, mentally thinking she has "spunk".
Colin is annoyingly arrogant but probably really just a good guy who simply needs some humility and a different perspective on the peasantry. I'm sure by the end of the book Juliana would have led him to all of these things, true love, and bonus points, an appreciation for the Christian faith.
Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't expect writers to write accurately to the 14th century (or whatever century their book is set in, within reason) but when the writing, and especially dialogue, is so jarring to the setting of the book, it really detracts from the book. Add to that poor grammar, like using "stupider" and "stupidest", and I'm gonna be complaining about it.
March 27, 2016
A Daring Sacrifice is a lovely young adult romance. Full of exciting scenes and sweet moments, it's a book that a younger me would have loved - and older me is no different! I don't know what it is about stories featuring knights and balls and archery, but they always draw me in. I breezed through this little gem in no time.
Juliana is a great heroine because she stands up for others at great personal risk. The Robin Hood reversal isn't actually all that strong in the story, there's just a touch of it. It isn't really the main plot device as much as it is the backdrop of Juliana's story. It was nice way to let readers know what she's about without repeating that story line. She does know how to handle a bow and arrow, and those scenes were a lot of fun. Though she is a Robin Hood type character, the story really begins when she agrees to stay with Sir Collin. Collin isn't a broody guy, but rather funny, flirty and precocious - I found him to be a refreshingly sweet male lead.
While the plot itself was a bit predictable, every bit of it was fun. I didn't see anything here that was inappropriate for younger readers. Even more present than the "stealing from the rich" story line is the idea of sacrifice and the love that propels it - one that transcends romantic love and truly puts another person's well-being first.
Though I don't think I'll ever prefer her young adult novels over her adult novels, Jody brings out the best of her adult novels and tailors them for a younger audience. Readers that enjoyed the first book will definitely be pleased with A Daring Sacrifice. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Juliana is a great heroine because she stands up for others at great personal risk. The Robin Hood reversal isn't actually all that strong in the story, there's just a touch of it. It isn't really the main plot device as much as it is the backdrop of Juliana's story. It was nice way to let readers know what she's about without repeating that story line. She does know how to handle a bow and arrow, and those scenes were a lot of fun. Though she is a Robin Hood type character, the story really begins when she agrees to stay with Sir Collin. Collin isn't a broody guy, but rather funny, flirty and precocious - I found him to be a refreshingly sweet male lead.
While the plot itself was a bit predictable, every bit of it was fun. I didn't see anything here that was inappropriate for younger readers. Even more present than the "stealing from the rich" story line is the idea of sacrifice and the love that propels it - one that transcends romantic love and truly puts another person's well-being first.
Though I don't think I'll ever prefer her young adult novels over her adult novels, Jody brings out the best of her adult novels and tailors them for a younger audience. Readers that enjoyed the first book will definitely be pleased with A Daring Sacrifice. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
March 2, 2016
Me reading the description of the book in January and getting it in the mail yesterday:
After reading it:
---
I was expecting a Robin Hood esque plot with some romance not off to the side exactly but sort of in the middle of everything.
I never really felt fully connected to anything/anyone in the story... all the ingredients seemed to be there but 'something' was missing that kept me from enjoying the story.
The romance... not above a nice romantic story but this one felt flat. There was no chemistry between Collin and Juliana. In the beginning, I did love their friendship and was looking forward to them growing closer but it all happened too quickly and felt more 'telling' than 'showing'
Pros and so-so's:
I like Bulldog, Thatch, and the others in Juliana's circle
I did like Juliana... I admired her strength, loyalty, and compassion
Collin himself was a good guy and I could see him as a friend but in some ways he felt too good to be true.
Wessex kind of bored me as a antagonist
If you loved this more power to you but this was a miss for me... not a bad novel but not a great one either.
Try it if you are curious, you may think differently from me *waves*
After reading it:
---
I was expecting a Robin Hood esque plot with some romance not off to the side exactly but sort of in the middle of everything.
I never really felt fully connected to anything/anyone in the story... all the ingredients seemed to be there but 'something' was missing that kept me from enjoying the story.
The romance... not above a nice romantic story but this one felt flat. There was no chemistry between Collin and Juliana. In the beginning, I did love their friendship and was looking forward to them growing closer but it all happened too quickly and felt more 'telling' than 'showing'
Pros and so-so's:
I like Bulldog, Thatch, and the others in Juliana's circle
I did like Juliana... I admired her strength, loyalty, and compassion
Collin himself was a good guy and I could see him as a friend but in some ways he felt too good to be true.
Wessex kind of bored me as a antagonist
If you loved this more power to you but this was a miss for me... not a bad novel but not a great one either.
Try it if you are curious, you may think differently from me *waves*
June 12, 2016
Of the three Robin Hood retellings that I have read in the last year, A Daring Sacrifice, was by far my favorite. Since the first book in this series, An Uncertain Choice, ended with a bit of a cliffhanger foreshadowing this book, I was very anxious to find out what happened. I very muc enjoyed getting to know Collin after meeting him in the first book and getting to see him find a girl. And while it takes a lot for me to really like a fictional heroine, Jody Hedlund has so far managed to endear me to both of hers in these books. A Daring Sacrifice, like the first book, is a sweet romance, but with enough reality to make it interesting. Like poor Collin! The end had me a little nervous to be sure. And like the last book, it ended with a little cliffhanger to set up the next book. I am greatly looking forward to reading on in this series.
I received a copy of this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.
I received a copy of this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.
April 19, 2023
I had concerns about this book before even picking it up but I decided to give it a chance. In a way, I think my response reflects what I thought of the last one. It had the grain of a good story and content- but sadly this was surrounded by a hard shell of silliness. There were some important messages about redemptive love and overcoming selfishness and bitterness. The thing was even enjoyable in places, but once again there were too many negatives.
The heroine Julianna seemed rather too goody-goody, and her irrational prejudice against the nobility did nothing to endear her to me (her Uncle deposed her father, therefore all nobles are evil and corrupt oppressors). Her pontificating on the matter just proved grating and annoying. I think she could have taken a more sensible course of action a lot more quickly, but I guess without her unwise choices there wouldn’t be a story but I fear she was rather too much of a Mary Sue.
Sir Colin was altogether more interesting, and a little more fun. The Romance could have been, and even tried to be sweet- but came across as cheesy, mushy, and some have said, shallow. Obviously, Julianna and Colin were to use the age old trope 'meant to be together'. Cue the kissing and then the angst about why they 'obviously' couldn't be.
On a more negative note, the characters speech was riddled with modern terms and Americanisms. Those who know me will realise that this is a particular niggle of mine in fiction. It was jarring, and did not fit in with the setting at all to have 14th century characters talking like modern Americans- saying things like 'pulling a stunt', 'spunky' or talking about going to the 'creek' to get water- what British people of the time (and today) would call a stream or brook.
Nor did the detail about the outlaws communicating with the call of a Bluejay help matters. The bird is indigenous to North America, so a Medieval European would not have known what one sounded like. Even Julianna's outlaw nickname 'The Cloaked Bandit' sounded like it could have come out of some spaghetti Western.
Its like no attempt was made to make the characters language authentic for the time: or even their age group. Most of the protaganists are meant to be teenagers but there's something off. They seem like what someone a little older than me thinks teenagers are like- or what they were like as teens 30 years ago.
Like in the last book there seems to be an unhealthy obsession with torture-and far too much emphasis is placed on it. So Julianna’s wicked Uncle (your fairly typical cardboard cut-out type villain) naturally has his own torture chamber in his castle complete with thumbscrews and other diabolical instruments that you see in movies.
The worst part for me was when he wanted to have Julianna burned at the stake- for stealing. Seriously, that has to have been one of the worst travesties against historical truth I have ever encountered in fiction. Now some might say that this was not inaccurate, as people were burned at the stake in the Middle- Ages. Indeed it did happen- but it was almost always the punishment for heresy or High Treason-not stealing or shooting squirrels.
(Why would you shoot such a small animal with a bow and arrow anyway? Waste of arrows and unnecessarily cruel.)
The whole passage was just so far-fetched and implausible. It's like the most extreme punishments ever devised in history have been found, and applied to the most trivial offenses imaginable for the sole purpose of shocking the audience and creating drama.
Now it might be argued that I’m over analyzing, and that the story is ‘meant to be a fairy tale- not set in a real country or the actual historical past. That may well be, although the use of sone place names, such as Wessex, Windsor and Maidstone, which are names of actual regions, towns or cities in England did make me wonder. Really, its the principle of the thing that made scenes like the above objectionable.
I can accept a certain degree of inaccuracy- but it saddens me that ‘Medieval’ fiction seems to be a licence to include references to unnecessary acts of violence and abuse- to depict all of the pre-American past as some quagmire of violence as lawlessness.
It’s also the fact that some are liable to take what they read in books like this as a true and factual representation of past reality. It is very far from that.
So in conclusion, the story had a few plusses, but overall it just seemed sloppy and rather OTT. A bit too much like a rip-off of various Robin Hood movies, and other girl outlaw spin-offs with the odd original scene or incident, but not a lot to distinguish it from others except the torture (not a good thing).
I received a free e-book edition of this title from Zondervan via Booklook Bloggers for review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
The heroine Julianna seemed rather too goody-goody, and her irrational prejudice against the nobility did nothing to endear her to me (her Uncle deposed her father, therefore all nobles are evil and corrupt oppressors). Her pontificating on the matter just proved grating and annoying. I think she could have taken a more sensible course of action a lot more quickly, but I guess without her unwise choices there wouldn’t be a story but I fear she was rather too much of a Mary Sue.
Sir Colin was altogether more interesting, and a little more fun. The Romance could have been, and even tried to be sweet- but came across as cheesy, mushy, and some have said, shallow. Obviously, Julianna and Colin were to use the age old trope 'meant to be together'. Cue the kissing and then the angst about why they 'obviously' couldn't be.
On a more negative note, the characters speech was riddled with modern terms and Americanisms. Those who know me will realise that this is a particular niggle of mine in fiction. It was jarring, and did not fit in with the setting at all to have 14th century characters talking like modern Americans- saying things like 'pulling a stunt', 'spunky' or talking about going to the 'creek' to get water- what British people of the time (and today) would call a stream or brook.
Nor did the detail about the outlaws communicating with the call of a Bluejay help matters. The bird is indigenous to North America, so a Medieval European would not have known what one sounded like. Even Julianna's outlaw nickname 'The Cloaked Bandit' sounded like it could have come out of some spaghetti Western.
Its like no attempt was made to make the characters language authentic for the time: or even their age group. Most of the protaganists are meant to be teenagers but there's something off. They seem like what someone a little older than me thinks teenagers are like- or what they were like as teens 30 years ago.
Like in the last book there seems to be an unhealthy obsession with torture-and far too much emphasis is placed on it. So Julianna’s wicked Uncle (your fairly typical cardboard cut-out type villain) naturally has his own torture chamber in his castle complete with thumbscrews and other diabolical instruments that you see in movies.
The worst part for me was when he wanted to have Julianna burned at the stake- for stealing. Seriously, that has to have been one of the worst travesties against historical truth I have ever encountered in fiction. Now some might say that this was not inaccurate, as people were burned at the stake in the Middle- Ages. Indeed it did happen- but it was almost always the punishment for heresy or High Treason-not stealing or shooting squirrels.
(Why would you shoot such a small animal with a bow and arrow anyway? Waste of arrows and unnecessarily cruel.)
The whole passage was just so far-fetched and implausible. It's like the most extreme punishments ever devised in history have been found, and applied to the most trivial offenses imaginable for the sole purpose of shocking the audience and creating drama.
Now it might be argued that I’m over analyzing, and that the story is ‘meant to be a fairy tale- not set in a real country or the actual historical past. That may well be, although the use of sone place names, such as Wessex, Windsor and Maidstone, which are names of actual regions, towns or cities in England did make me wonder. Really, its the principle of the thing that made scenes like the above objectionable.
I can accept a certain degree of inaccuracy- but it saddens me that ‘Medieval’ fiction seems to be a licence to include references to unnecessary acts of violence and abuse- to depict all of the pre-American past as some quagmire of violence as lawlessness.
It’s also the fact that some are liable to take what they read in books like this as a true and factual representation of past reality. It is very far from that.
So in conclusion, the story had a few plusses, but overall it just seemed sloppy and rather OTT. A bit too much like a rip-off of various Robin Hood movies, and other girl outlaw spin-offs with the odd original scene or incident, but not a lot to distinguish it from others except the torture (not a good thing).
I received a free e-book edition of this title from Zondervan via Booklook Bloggers for review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
November 1, 2022
Apparently I'm reading this series backward.. lol....totally something I would do. It's late so, again, I'm gonna be lazy and do a short review...lol...
I enjoyed this one...not as much as book 3, but still enjoyed it. I dunno, girl Robin Hood is just not my thing...but I liked Collin even if he did feel a bit flirty at times. But over all this was really good and I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed this one...not as much as book 3, but still enjoyed it. I dunno, girl Robin Hood is just not my thing...but I liked Collin even if he did feel a bit flirty at times. But over all this was really good and I enjoyed it.
March 9, 2023
“I never stopped loving you,” he said softly, seriously. “And I never will. I will always love you. No matter what.”
—Jody Hedlund, A Daring Sacrifice
Rating: ★★★★★
Cleanness: ★★★*
This is such a fun book! For Love and Honor is my FAVORITE in the series but I also loved this story! This is one of my favorite girl Robin Hood books! I loved this retelling and I think it did a nice job of still being unique compared to other retellings of this kind. And the BANTER! The banter was my favorite! It was so cute and I couldn’t stop smiling!
Juliana was a great strong female character. She is brave, takes risks, but is still kind and likes girly things. Sometimes I see in books that when there is a “strong female character” they lack emotions and try to be a guy. I loved that Juliana was strong and still loved having long hair and was feminine and that was a strength of hers! I love how brave she is and that in the end she stood strong in her role and who she is. I loved her love for her people and that she would feel guilt and remorse for stealing though she did it to protect her people but prayed for God to make another way.
Enter Collin! I LOVE Collin! He is such a goober and a sweetheart! He is kind, funny, noble and is humble. He listens to Juliana and takes her counsel and the council of others to heart. When he hears about people suffering he wants to help and use his wealth for others. He respects people and wants to do good. I also love the boundaries he had with Juliana. I have a TON of respect for him doing that and keeping boundaries between them and saving being intimate for marriage. I also loved how he was a source of comfort and peace for Juliana.
I won’t spoil it all but I absolutely loved how Collin quite literally gave up his life and sacrificed himself for Juliana! That moment was so beautiful and touching! <3
If you couldn’t tell, Collin is my absolute FAVORITE!!!
They are so fun and cute together! I loved their story and the care they had for each other and their people!
Bulldog was my favorite of the side characters! He is like a bulldog—big, imposing and dangerous—but then has a sweet protective puppy dog heart! I love how he stepped in and became a father to Juliana! His love and protectiveness over her was so sweet even when he was gruff you saw his heart. He is such a good father—both for his son and Juliana.
*Cleanness:this is a wonderful and fairly clean book! There is nothing beyond a few sweet (and one slightly more passionate) kisses (as I said above, they kept boundaries between them concerning this).
There is a lot more violence in this book compared to the other including much more talk of torture. There are quite a lot of fight scenes including deaths. Since Juliana and the people she leads are all bandits and thieves, many of them either have been grossly injured and tortured and there is a lot of talk about it (for it’s the price of thievery). Juliana’s father was also torchered and seeing that brings her lots of trauma and pain. The ending surrounds a lot of fight scenes and torture scenes (but this is account of the thing I won’t spoil about Collin but it a really good moment though sad).
These are some of the things to look for when reading (I think I noted everything), but otherwise this is a fairly clean book (it’s just violence you have too look for) and I highly recommend reading!
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September 7, 2020
Other reviewers said it’s better than book 1 and it is...but not enough for me to think it’s more than “okay.” In this one religion is almost completely absent, so at least it’s not portraying that wrongly except for the near-absence of it. There is no fantasy to it, except perhaps in some manners and customs that belong in the wrong historical era. Wessex is a real place and 1390 is a real time in England’s history.
There’s nothing in this one that marks it as Christian fiction at all; they pray once or twice and attend a chapel service, but that’s all. “Blessed Mary” is repeatedly used as an expression of shock or dismay.
Whereas the romance in book 1 was mostly chaste, this one departs from that to repeated feelings of heat, tingles, seeing her in a nightgown, seeing him injured without a shirt and feeling attracted while he’s bleeding, etc etc. It’s heavily physically done and then at the end one of the reading questions is cheeky enough to say something to the effect of “she lusts for him when she sees him shirtless...what does this mean about the importance of modesty?” Uh...gag? (I will never understand how it’s okay to get all hot and bothered about someone’s abs when they are laying there in pain and bleeding.)
The torture is less described from the first book, but it still has inaccuracies from the time period in the way they are applied. The biggest of these is a guy who’s breaking the law and who decides to give his opponent an execution which is extremely public and is done to publicly humiliate them. He gives the sentence without bringing the noble before a peer review of other nobles to gain a legal conviction. As soon as this gets out, he’s going to be facing his own peer review for it. The only way to avoid it is a private execution and hiding of the body because the trial itself was illegal and baseless. Not to mention that being hung, drawn, and quartered was specifically meant for traitors and enemies of the realm.
Another thing is an individual who is very hurt (dragged by a horse through town on a cobble street, hanged halfway) next grabs two swords and takes part in a free-for-all fight...uh, what? So now he’s basically Ironman without the suit or what?
....so maybe it’s fantasy because no way would all this happen in the real-world setting it claims??
There’s nothing in this one that marks it as Christian fiction at all; they pray once or twice and attend a chapel service, but that’s all. “Blessed Mary” is repeatedly used as an expression of shock or dismay.
Whereas the romance in book 1 was mostly chaste, this one departs from that to repeated feelings of heat, tingles, seeing her in a nightgown, seeing him injured without a shirt and feeling attracted while he’s bleeding, etc etc. It’s heavily physically done and then at the end one of the reading questions is cheeky enough to say something to the effect of “she lusts for him when she sees him shirtless...what does this mean about the importance of modesty?” Uh...gag? (I will never understand how it’s okay to get all hot and bothered about someone’s abs when they are laying there in pain and bleeding.)
The torture is less described from the first book, but it still has inaccuracies from the time period in the way they are applied. The biggest of these is a guy who’s breaking the law and who decides to give his opponent an execution which is extremely public and is done to publicly humiliate them. He gives the sentence without bringing the noble before a peer review of other nobles to gain a legal conviction. As soon as this gets out, he’s going to be facing his own peer review for it. The only way to avoid it is a private execution and hiding of the body because the trial itself was illegal and baseless. Not to mention that being hung, drawn, and quartered was specifically meant for traitors and enemies of the realm.
Another thing is an individual who is very hurt (dragged by a horse through town on a cobble street, hanged halfway) next grabs two swords and takes part in a free-for-all fight...uh, what? So now he’s basically Ironman without the suit or what?
....so maybe it’s fantasy because no way would all this happen in the real-world setting it claims??
November 12, 2024
It's just not worth it.
Was intrigued by the Robin Hood trope, but really, there's nothing special about the book. And when a guy lays his head in a girls lap, I'm out. It's hard for me to set down a book without finishing it, but whenever I try to justify something like this and keep going, it always gets worse. So no thank you and do not recommend. It's unimpressive in and of itself and the romance that's way to lusty makes it not worth your time.
Was intrigued by the Robin Hood trope, but really, there's nothing special about the book. And when a guy lays his head in a girls lap, I'm out. It's hard for me to set down a book without finishing it, but whenever I try to justify something like this and keep going, it always gets worse. So no thank you and do not recommend. It's unimpressive in and of itself and the romance that's way to lusty makes it not worth your time.
December 13, 2016
When accomplished historical novelist Jody Hedlund decided to enter the fray (because, yes, it is a competitive field) known as YA literature, those of us who were already devoted fans knew it was bound to be a wonderful novel. With her debut An Uncertain Choice, we were treated to a medieval fairytale in the most chaste of manners. With her follow-up A Daring Sacrifice, she continues on with that charming trademark of historical fiction “magic.”
The story is blissfully simple. The leading man is Sir. Collin, a knight recently returned to his wealth of land and fortune, hoping to do good by the title his father left him. His half-sister Irene is causing something of a stir, desiring to marry a neighboring nobleman. But it’s Collin who is most restless. Until he happens upon Lady Julianna, the woman feared dead following her father’s crusade. Instead she’s been masquerading as a cloaked bandit, stealing from her calculating uncle’s lands to enrich the poor. Only it’s Collin who discovers her carefully concealed secret, which ignites a spark that began from a childhood acquaintance neither one of them can deny.
Lest you’ve forgotten or haven’t read An Uncertain Choice, our leading (and noble) knight, Collin was one of three young men in the first novel who vied for the fair Lady Rosemarie’s hand. At the end of that novel, Derrick was called away to assist his friend, Sir. Collin. Prior to reaching that point, A Daring Sacrifice loses itself in Story. It tells a story of high-stakes adventure. There’s a case of concealed identity in correlation with a beautiful love story that unfolds, one that might cost one of them their lives.
Though we got to know a great deal about Collin in the prior novel, it was nice to have him feature solely as the leading man in this story. He’s a great guy whose loyalty to what he stands for and deep love for the woman he loves is admirable. Similarly, I enjoyed meeting Julianna. Her spunk and skill with a bow (I’ve always thought this would be a neat skill to possess, but if possible, Julianna makes it all the more captivating) is catching, making her a contrast to the more sensible and delicate Rosemarie.
If you are fond of sweet, simple and romantic novels, this is just the one for you. If you’ve not read Jody’s earlier series novel (which also includes the prequel novella, The Vow), then why delay? This just might make be your summer binge-reading all the more memorable. I don’t know what else to praise about this piece of fairytale fluff. It takes some cues from the Robin Hood myth while still stepping apart and being its own identity. Those who enjoy an adventurous YA historical without sacrificing romance or vice versa are sure to find the skillful talents of Jody Hedlund make for an ideal possibility to add to their shelves.
Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary ARC copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
The story is blissfully simple. The leading man is Sir. Collin, a knight recently returned to his wealth of land and fortune, hoping to do good by the title his father left him. His half-sister Irene is causing something of a stir, desiring to marry a neighboring nobleman. But it’s Collin who is most restless. Until he happens upon Lady Julianna, the woman feared dead following her father’s crusade. Instead she’s been masquerading as a cloaked bandit, stealing from her calculating uncle’s lands to enrich the poor. Only it’s Collin who discovers her carefully concealed secret, which ignites a spark that began from a childhood acquaintance neither one of them can deny.
Lest you’ve forgotten or haven’t read An Uncertain Choice, our leading (and noble) knight, Collin was one of three young men in the first novel who vied for the fair Lady Rosemarie’s hand. At the end of that novel, Derrick was called away to assist his friend, Sir. Collin. Prior to reaching that point, A Daring Sacrifice loses itself in Story. It tells a story of high-stakes adventure. There’s a case of concealed identity in correlation with a beautiful love story that unfolds, one that might cost one of them their lives.
Though we got to know a great deal about Collin in the prior novel, it was nice to have him feature solely as the leading man in this story. He’s a great guy whose loyalty to what he stands for and deep love for the woman he loves is admirable. Similarly, I enjoyed meeting Julianna. Her spunk and skill with a bow (I’ve always thought this would be a neat skill to possess, but if possible, Julianna makes it all the more captivating) is catching, making her a contrast to the more sensible and delicate Rosemarie.
If you are fond of sweet, simple and romantic novels, this is just the one for you. If you’ve not read Jody’s earlier series novel (which also includes the prequel novella, The Vow), then why delay? This just might make be your summer binge-reading all the more memorable. I don’t know what else to praise about this piece of fairytale fluff. It takes some cues from the Robin Hood myth while still stepping apart and being its own identity. Those who enjoy an adventurous YA historical without sacrificing romance or vice versa are sure to find the skillful talents of Jody Hedlund make for an ideal possibility to add to their shelves.
Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary ARC copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
March 27, 2016
Arrows aren’t the only flying objects in A Daring Sacrifice – plenty of sparks fly too! This romance between a charming hero and a bandit heroine hits the mark dead center. I loved the action, the adventure, the romance (i hear your gasps of shock) but the highlight of A Daring Sacrifice for me was the theme of sacrificial love. Both Juliana and Collin exhibit this quality in spades, though the trait requires some sharpening, some maturing, in both of them as they journey through the story together. But oh my goodness, the exquisite beauty of the final portrait of their sacrifices. This, young adults, is the very definition of true love. These themes of romantic respect and sacrificial love are so key for today’s world, perhaps in none more important a demographic as the young adult audience. Jody Hedlund’s pitch perfect writing voice does translate wonderfully into the YA market, and another epilogue-induced (mild) cliffhanger ensures readers will be on pins and needles until Sir Bennet’s story arrives in hand.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
Read my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
Read my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
August 23, 2016
Meh. I'm glad I bought this when it was on sale.
It actually started out really strong for me, and the storyline was promising (the heroine is a Robin Hood type character - stealing from the rich to give to the poor). But the romance between the two leads was super lame, and their "clever banter" with each other was the lamest.
It actually started out really strong for me, and the storyline was promising (the heroine is a Robin Hood type character - stealing from the rich to give to the poor). But the romance between the two leads was super lame, and their "clever banter" with each other was the lamest.
December 11, 2015
AGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jody Hedlund does it again! I'm breathless, smiling, and teary-eyed at the end of this story.... and at the end of the epilogue, I'm FRANTIC to know what happens next!!!! Prepare yourself for a thrilling, romantic ride.... and one humdinger of a cliffhanger ending!!!
June 1, 2016
"A Daring Sacrifice" by Jody Hedlund is riddled with rating killing issues. Hidden behind a gorgeous cover & promises of a kick ass Robin Hood type heroin, is a mess of a novel.
I'm serious, the only things I can say I honestly liked about this novel was the pretty cover (I so want that outfit) and how the fonts changed along with the points of view.
Those two little things could not help me overlook all the other problems glaringly wrong with the book.
Things like:
Bland writing. a few sentences were good, but the author clearly never got the memo that showing is better than telling.
A much to perfect hero. He's such a freaking perfect dream boat. -_- he's great at everything. Super nice. charming... And terribly boring. Plus he calls her "sweetheart" after knowing her for like 3 minutes. It's not cute, it's really kinds sleazy.
A heroine pretending to badass when she clearly is not. It's not enough to tell me she's awesome. You have to SHOW me she's awesome. Juliana is not. She's ruled by her emotions (mainly lust). Shes to vain & stupid to cut her hair, even though it makes her more recognizable. She's easily captured & always seems to need her big strong male friends to save her. You can't just tell me that your female lead is strong & independent. You have to show me. & all I got was a pack of lies about a whiny weak "stomach quivering" woman who seems to care more about the dude she just met than the peasents she claims to lead. Don't try & sell me Robin Hood when it's clearly not the case.
Insta-love. Just because it's been romance doesn't mean they should fall head over heels in love after less than a week. It makes the characters look stupid & immature & is insulting the readers. Everyone knows that real love takes time. This isn't love. It's lust. I don't care how clean & sweet you try and make it.
Flat villains. The bad guys are EVIL. For no reason. There's no explanation. They simply are for the sake of the story.
& why exactly is it labled under "Christian fiction" aside from a noticeable lack of swearing or anything sexual, there's nothing to actually make it feel Christian. Not godly message or preaching. It's very confusing. & honestly, labeling it as such when it clearly isn't is just bad business sense since it immediately makes a lot of the reading communication go "hell no"
& probably the worst of all: This was just incredibly boring. I felt no tension. No urgency. No reason to cheer on the "hero's" or boo the bad guys. No chemistry between the love interests. I had to force myself to finish the novel. Which is so sad because I adore Robin Hood stories. (Seriously, check out my shelves & ull see)
Overall, it was a big let down. (Can't believe I spent nearly 15$ on this over priced crap.) I thought I was getting a novel with swashbuckling outlaw fun with some cheese romance thrown in.
Instead I got an insta-love ridden nightmare. Just like the vast majority of Y.A. romance novels. :(
Not recommended, even for bad book laughs. Just avoid at all costs.
I'm serious, the only things I can say I honestly liked about this novel was the pretty cover (I so want that outfit) and how the fonts changed along with the points of view.
Those two little things could not help me overlook all the other problems glaringly wrong with the book.
Things like:
Bland writing. a few sentences were good, but the author clearly never got the memo that showing is better than telling.
A much to perfect hero. He's such a freaking perfect dream boat. -_- he's great at everything. Super nice. charming... And terribly boring. Plus he calls her "sweetheart" after knowing her for like 3 minutes. It's not cute, it's really kinds sleazy.
A heroine pretending to badass when she clearly is not. It's not enough to tell me she's awesome. You have to SHOW me she's awesome. Juliana is not. She's ruled by her emotions (mainly lust). Shes to vain & stupid to cut her hair, even though it makes her more recognizable. She's easily captured & always seems to need her big strong male friends to save her. You can't just tell me that your female lead is strong & independent. You have to show me. & all I got was a pack of lies about a whiny weak "stomach quivering" woman who seems to care more about the dude she just met than the peasents she claims to lead. Don't try & sell me Robin Hood when it's clearly not the case.
Insta-love. Just because it's been romance doesn't mean they should fall head over heels in love after less than a week. It makes the characters look stupid & immature & is insulting the readers. Everyone knows that real love takes time. This isn't love. It's lust. I don't care how clean & sweet you try and make it.
Flat villains. The bad guys are EVIL. For no reason. There's no explanation. They simply are for the sake of the story.
& why exactly is it labled under "Christian fiction" aside from a noticeable lack of swearing or anything sexual, there's nothing to actually make it feel Christian. Not godly message or preaching. It's very confusing. & honestly, labeling it as such when it clearly isn't is just bad business sense since it immediately makes a lot of the reading communication go "hell no"
& probably the worst of all: This was just incredibly boring. I felt no tension. No urgency. No reason to cheer on the "hero's" or boo the bad guys. No chemistry between the love interests. I had to force myself to finish the novel. Which is so sad because I adore Robin Hood stories. (Seriously, check out my shelves & ull see)
Overall, it was a big let down. (Can't believe I spent nearly 15$ on this over priced crap.) I thought I was getting a novel with swashbuckling outlaw fun with some cheese romance thrown in.
Instead I got an insta-love ridden nightmare. Just like the vast majority of Y.A. romance novels. :(
Not recommended, even for bad book laughs. Just avoid at all costs.
June 3, 2016
I loved this follow up to An Uncertain Choice. I think I actually liked this one better and it can definitely be read as a stand alone.
A play on the fairy tale of Robin Hood, Juliana steals from the rich to provide food and shelter to the poor peasants that have become her family since her uncle took over the rule of her family's land and killed her father. I love her tender and fiercely loyal heart toward her "family". She's smart and fast, and a little headstrong but when it comes down to a choice, she'll lay down her life for those she loves.
Lord Collin is wonderful! A knight in shining armor to be sure! ;) Once he realizes that the Cloaked Bandit is Lady Juliana, he's determined to find out why she's in hiding and convince her that not all nobility is bad. He's honorable, charming, and sweet! And also determined to keep Juliana safe even if he has to give his own life to accomplish that.
This book has it all! Lots of sweet romantic sparks, heart pumping danger, victorious battles, sacrificial love, and a satisfying conclusion with a lead into the next book! Yay! :)
*Thanks to BookLook Bloggers for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to post a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*
A play on the fairy tale of Robin Hood, Juliana steals from the rich to provide food and shelter to the poor peasants that have become her family since her uncle took over the rule of her family's land and killed her father. I love her tender and fiercely loyal heart toward her "family". She's smart and fast, and a little headstrong but when it comes down to a choice, she'll lay down her life for those she loves.
Lord Collin is wonderful! A knight in shining armor to be sure! ;) Once he realizes that the Cloaked Bandit is Lady Juliana, he's determined to find out why she's in hiding and convince her that not all nobility is bad. He's honorable, charming, and sweet! And also determined to keep Juliana safe even if he has to give his own life to accomplish that.
This book has it all! Lots of sweet romantic sparks, heart pumping danger, victorious battles, sacrificial love, and a satisfying conclusion with a lead into the next book! Yay! :)
*Thanks to BookLook Bloggers for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to post a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*
October 14, 2016
I am a sucker for mushy romance novels. Add a fierce Noble and even fiercer heroine and I am hooked.
I surprisingly LOVED this book.
I read an ARC copy so I'm not sure if the final version changed much BUT the sneak peak/cliffhanger into the next book has grabbed my attention.
Random Info: Lord Collin has the nicest smile I've ever imagined in a hero.
I surprisingly LOVED this book.
I read an ARC copy so I'm not sure if the final version changed much BUT the sneak peak/cliffhanger into the next book has grabbed my attention.
Random Info: Lord Collin has the nicest smile I've ever imagined in a hero.
November 30, 2021
Such a sweet book!
February 4, 2021
My biggest complaint about this book is that She certainly doesn't seem to be crushing it. But then again, maybe Colin is just better at it what with his being a knight at all? Still, that whole element was left unresolved and just rather... odd. Haha. In any case I liked the story overall. I appreciated that both characters were given enough depth to change and get better especially considering the limited time-span of the book itself.
Content warnings for this book: death of a parent, mob behavior, kidnapping, public execution, themes of war, violence, illness and medical stuff
January 8, 2020
A Daring Sacrifice, the second book in the A Uncertain Choice series, was another romantic, engaging medieval tale, this one a Robin Hood reversal story. Lady Juliana and her father have been displaced from their land. After her father is killed, Juliana takes on a disguise in order to steal from the nobility and provide for the peasants who rely on her under the cruelty of her Uncle and cousin who usurped her. When she reunites with a childhood acquaintance, Sir Collin—a knight and noble ruling over the neighboring land—Juliana begins to wonder if all nobility are as evil as she’s begun to believe, especially as she and Collin begin to fall in love.
Collin and Juliana have a really cute relationship. While it began as childhood acquaintances and grew to physical attraction when they meet again as adults, it quickly deepens into something more as they come to know one another. Collin was charming and caring and Juliana was full of bravery and compassion. I loved watching both characters grow in character as well as closer to God; Collin goes from one who’s apathetic to one who desires to better understand and help his people, whereas Juliana learns that allowing her anger and prejudice to dictate her actions is not the right course. Both Collin and Juliana become better people as their adorable relationship with one another grows.
While the plot was engaging and the romance was cute, what marred my overall enjoyment of the story was the frequent mentions of torture. While brief mentions were preferable to actually showing it, it was still off-putting and made me uncomfortable. I also wish that Collin and Juliana’s relationship had a bit more depth and development. The ending made up for this, for it contained the beautiful message about how true love is about sacrifice; the scene where Collin does such a Christlike, noble action for Lady Juliana was beautiful.
With a Robin Hood inspired plot, concealed identity, a high-stakes adventure, satisfying character growth, and a cute romance, overall A Daring Sacrifice was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Collin and Juliana have a really cute relationship. While it began as childhood acquaintances and grew to physical attraction when they meet again as adults, it quickly deepens into something more as they come to know one another. Collin was charming and caring and Juliana was full of bravery and compassion. I loved watching both characters grow in character as well as closer to God; Collin goes from one who’s apathetic to one who desires to better understand and help his people, whereas Juliana learns that allowing her anger and prejudice to dictate her actions is not the right course. Both Collin and Juliana become better people as their adorable relationship with one another grows.
While the plot was engaging and the romance was cute, what marred my overall enjoyment of the story was the frequent mentions of torture. While brief mentions were preferable to actually showing it, it was still off-putting and made me uncomfortable. I also wish that Collin and Juliana’s relationship had a bit more depth and development. The ending made up for this, for it contained the beautiful message about how true love is about sacrifice; the scene where Collin does such a Christlike, noble action for Lady Juliana was beautiful.
With a Robin Hood inspired plot, concealed identity, a high-stakes adventure, satisfying character growth, and a cute romance, overall A Daring Sacrifice was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
February 29, 2016
A Daring Sacrifice is the second book in the An Uncertain Choice series, however, it stands alone in its story line. This is a young adult title and I appreciated the fact that the characters were young themselves. While they both had fighting and survival experience, and their relationship grew in the story, many of Collin and Julian’s actions and beliefs early on in the story accurately depicted their youthful take on things. Whether it was Juliana not recognizing the feelings she was beginning to have for Collin, or the delay of Collin really understanding the seriousness of the plight of the peasants, they had growing to do and it was delightful to watch them do just that.
I really liked both of these characters. They were both brave individuals who showed a true willingness to sacrifice everything for those they loved. I really liked Collin and how he knew his heart for Juliana early on.
This story contains action, drama, romance, intrigue, and a message of faith all tied up in a book that is appropriate for the teenage audience. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review on my blog at:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
I really liked both of these characters. They were both brave individuals who showed a true willingness to sacrifice everything for those they loved. I really liked Collin and how he knew his heart for Juliana early on.
This story contains action, drama, romance, intrigue, and a message of faith all tied up in a book that is appropriate for the teenage audience. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review on my blog at:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
April 5, 2016
Jody Hedlund has long been a favorite of mine, since her first book, in fact. She now has two YA novels, set in medieval times. A Daring Sacrifice is a wonderful novel, and I enjoyed every moment of it. The characters Jody has created are very believable and very well developed . The spiritual aspect was also very powerful.
Lady Juliana Wessex has been operating as the Cloaked Bandit, robbing the nobility by knife point to feed those oppressed by the evil lord, her tyrannical uncle. Juliana believes her uncle is responsible for her father's death and usurping her rightful place as head of the Wessex lands.
Lord Collin Goodrich is robbed by Juliana and her fellow bandits but he seems to remember Juliana from their childhood, so he sets out to see her return to her rightful place. She wants nothing to do with the nobility. Can these two overcome the obstacles placed in their paths?
This is a wonderful story and I highly recommend it for everyone, not just the young adult world.
*I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Lady Juliana Wessex has been operating as the Cloaked Bandit, robbing the nobility by knife point to feed those oppressed by the evil lord, her tyrannical uncle. Juliana believes her uncle is responsible for her father's death and usurping her rightful place as head of the Wessex lands.
Lord Collin Goodrich is robbed by Juliana and her fellow bandits but he seems to remember Juliana from their childhood, so he sets out to see her return to her rightful place. She wants nothing to do with the nobility. Can these two overcome the obstacles placed in their paths?
This is a wonderful story and I highly recommend it for everyone, not just the young adult world.
*I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 25, 2016
A Daring Sacrifice is an enchanting tale of adventure and romance! Jody Hedlund is a gifted storyteller and her reimagining of Robin Hood is sure to please fans of medieval romance!
I loved this fresh twist on an age old story! Robin Hood is one of my favorite folk legends and I delighted in seeing a young maiden take on the role of the cloaked bandit. Juliana Wessex is brave and strong and committed to providing food and shelter for the poor. When an act of robbing leads to recognition by Lord Collin Goodrich, Juliana’s journey takes a surprising turn. What ensues is an exciting adventure teeming with drama, danger, and romance.
A Daring Sacrifice is a charming story with an unexpected ending that left me breathless! I can hardly wait to find out what happens next!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
I loved this fresh twist on an age old story! Robin Hood is one of my favorite folk legends and I delighted in seeing a young maiden take on the role of the cloaked bandit. Juliana Wessex is brave and strong and committed to providing food and shelter for the poor. When an act of robbing leads to recognition by Lord Collin Goodrich, Juliana’s journey takes a surprising turn. What ensues is an exciting adventure teeming with drama, danger, and romance.
A Daring Sacrifice is a charming story with an unexpected ending that left me breathless! I can hardly wait to find out what happens next!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
January 7, 2018
Loved the characters!! The twists and turns in the book kept me excited and nervous about how it was going to turn out.
July 28, 2021
The only thing harder than fighting for what is RIGHT... is fighting their feelings for each other.
Another sweet story!
It has excitement, it has clean romance, it has fighting, it has a villan. And it also has a Happily Ever After.
The End
4/5 stars
'Collin's steady hand wrapped around mine, stopping me.
"Careful," he murmured against my ear. "Remember you're Lady Eleonora Delacroix, not ten Cloaked Bandit."
Another sweet story!
It has excitement, it has clean romance, it has fighting, it has a villan. And it also has a Happily Ever After.
The End
4/5 stars
'Collin's steady hand wrapped around mine, stopping me.
"Careful," he murmured against my ear. "Remember you're Lady Eleonora Delacroix, not ten Cloaked Bandit."
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