Goodreads Synopsis
Aurelia has always valued love and happiness over titles and power. Though her kind-hearted father has allowed her to turn away suitor after suitor in pursuit of a love she cannot yet define, when he dies her choices die with him. Knowing that marrying the elderly governor of a neighboring province can secure her mentally challenged brother’s safety, she gives up on her dream of finding love in return for his protection.Cassius is the ill-fated captain of the governor’s guard tasked with escorting the Lady Aurelia and her unpleasant aunt to the governor’s estate. Since the soothsayer Tullia foretold an early death for him, Cassius wants nothing more than to keep his hands busy with labor and his heart free from any connections to the world he believes he will be leaving soon. As they work through a series of misfortunes on the road to the governor’s province, the words of the soothsayer start to make sense, and together they find the courage to allow their true destiny to unfold.
Review
The idea of the setting of the story was what intrigued me to say yes to Kathryn that I will give her book a go. I am glad that I said yes.
I was looking forward to learning more of the lifestyle of the time the story is set in and was a little disappointed as not much was talked about of the times. In the beginning, I wanted the characters to be more but they felt very two dimensional but past 25% mark, I was pretty satisfied with the development.
The plot device – the brother of the heroine – seemed kind of dragged as there could definitely be other options which were not explored in the least. The stance of the hero seemed way too stubborn for the flow of romance as well.
Now that I have mentioned romance, the realization of the main leads being in love was way too sudden with no lead up to it. Or at least it seemed that way to me.
All in all, enjoyable for a one time read.
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