Olivia has lived her entire life behind the walls of Padrida, a kingdom unknown to the rest of the world. As the king and queen’s only heir, she is destined to rule. Though given all that she needs, she wants only one thing.Freedom.Boredom plagues Prince Sebastian of Basilia. The realms have been at peace for more than a century, and he has little to occupy his time. He journeys to Black Wood, seeking adventure. The dense forest has a dark reputation, and Sebastian intends to uncover the truth of the many horrific tales that have troubled him since childhood.He finds something else entirely.
Jeanne Hardt has always been involved in the creative arts in one form or fashion.
In November of 2010, a dream inspired her to write her first novel. Having moved from the Northwest to the South in the mid-nineties, she was drawn to Southern history.
Though she moved to Tennessee to pursue a career in music and acting, once she set her hands on the computer keyboard, she discovered her true passion and hasn’t stopped writing since.
Her stories are far from typical romances, though she promises a happy ending. She’s recently branched out into other genres, including young adult and contemporary women’s fiction. However, her true writing passion will always remain with historical fiction.
She currently lives in Tennessee with her husband, their little dog, Jax, and a multitude of dreams.
I did like the pace and flow of the story as well as the characters. I felt like the author kept you anticipating what would happen next. It does not end on a cliff hanger, which I like, but it still leaves plenty open for more in the series.
I'm going to read the second book because I'm intrigued by the story line, but the dialogue was really messing me up. The inconsistent high-English (primarily noted by "shall" thrown into otherwise modern speech) kept taking me out of the narrative and reminding me that a modern author wrote these characters. I couldn't stay fully immersed, which was disappointing because I really enjoyed the plot.