Tag: Madeline Martin

Drake’s Honor by Madeline Martin

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Medieval (1066-1540)Leave a comment

Drake's Honor (Borderland Rebels, #4)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Borderland Rebel #4
Publication Date: 6/15/21
Period: Medieval – Scotland 1342

Goodness Gracious Me! I have been waiting for Drake’s book through two whole series and I am so very glad it is finally here and that he has such an awesome wrap-up for the series. With the buildup of so much anticipation, an author can only hit a grand-slam-home-run or strike-out, nothing in between the two. I can happily say this is a grand-slam-home-run and I am so glad to have read it. Having said all of that, if you have not read any of the previous books, you can read this as a stand-alone and not miss a beat. But, if you read the other books first, your experience will be so much more colorful and rich.

At long last, Drake has the opportunity to become a knight. King David has given him a two-fold assignment and upon the successful completion of the main part of that mission, the king will bestow a knighthood on Drake. That is the one thing Drake has sought after and worked for his entire life. Drake is absolutely the noblest of men – nobody is more honorable, more moral, or more upstanding than Drake. His morality has cost him jobs and friends over the years, but his moral compass hasn’t ever wavered. Even though he isn’t officially a knight, he has been assigned a squire, Beathan (Bean) MacKenzie. Bean is every bit as moral and strait-laced as Drake, so they get along famously. Bean only knows the ‘public’ part of Drake’s mission – to travel to Lochmaben Castle and train the new recruits the king has sent to the castle as reinforcements. The secret part, discovering the cause of death of Lady Eileen, is known only to Drake.

Greer MacPherson is in a total panic because her very young brother (about twelve) has been locked in the dungeon at Lochmaben Castle – and it has been a month now. She isn’t allowed to see him and he is under heavy guard. What could a poor, innocent, young boy have done to receive such punishment? Greer is afraid she knows the answer – Mac (her brother) surely saw what happened with the dead woman from the castle and somebody is trying to keep him quiet. Or, are they blaming him? Greer has walked all the way from Lochmaben Castle to Dunfermline Castle to try to speak with the king on behalf of her brother, but she wasn’t even allowed entry. Now, she must find fifty quid in order to bribe a guard at Lochmaben Castle. That is what he told her it would cost her to ‘rescue’ her brother. She’s is a laundress, where is she going to get that kind of money. Well, her plan is simple – she’ll steal it on her way back to Lochmaben. She’s an excellent thief, surely, she can pick enough pockets along the way home to raise the money.

Of course, Drake and Greer encounter each other under less than desirable circumstances. Drake wants to help Greer and Greer sees Drake as a mark. Greer thinks they are as different as two people could possibly be, but Drake knows they are more alike than different. When things go horribly awry at Lochmaben, will Drake be able to give up his lifelong dream to save Greer and Mac? Even if he is willing, can he actually do it?

This was a beautifully written, fast-paced, breath-holding, sigh-worthy read and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. It has an Epilogue that perfectly wraps up the series, ties up all of the loose ends, and catches us up with all of Drake’s family on the Isle of Skye. This book was everything I could have hoped Drake’s book would be. Kudos to the author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

The Last BookShop In London by Madeline Martin

On By TracyIn Historical Fiction, Tracy's Reviews, World War II Era (1939-1945)Leave a comment

The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War IIThe Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: N/A

Release Date: April 6, 2021

When Grace Bennett moves to London with her best friend Vivienne “Viv” Bailey in August of 1939, there is no way she can even begin to imagine how much not only her life is about to change – but how much the world is about to change as well!

Grace arrives in London full of hopes and dreams, she and her friend Viv, rent rooms from her late mother’s widowed friend, Mrs. Weatherford, and her grown son Colin. While Grace had high hopes of becoming a shop girl at Harrod’s, she had no written references, she instead gets a job at Primrose Hill Books, a small bookshop owned by Mr. Evans, due to the help of Mrs. Weatherford and even gains the promise of a referral letter after six months. Grace is not pleased, she is not a reader and while she has basic shop knowledge from working for her uncle, she knows nothing about books, which is made clear on her first day. She arrives to work, the shop is a mess, cluttered and unorganized, Mr. Evans clearly doesn’t want an employee, and Grace feels hopeless when a customer asks for help finding a book, but things begin to look up when another customer, a man named George comes to her rescue, and even suggests a book for her to read. She leaves the shop a bit more hopeful, but that changes later that evening when the radio announces the mobilization of the fleet – a sure sign that war is coming.

This book is not my normal genre, but having read this author’s historical romances, I was sure I would find a well-written, well-researched story with a strong heroine and an interesting story – and I was not wrong, but I was not prepared to be sucked into the story and held captive the way I was! While reading this book, I experienced a complete array of emotions – shock, pain, heartbreak, loss, wonder, hope, and love – I felt Grace’s struggles, her fears, her disappointments, her hope, her horror, and her joys – I watched her find an escape in reading and happiness in sharing her newfound love of reading with others. I finished this book with a new respect for not only the men and women who served in the military and sacrificed so much but also for those who fought on the Homefront – who were separated from their children, who made do with meager rations, who supported each other and never gave up hope. I loved this book and am so glad I decided to give it a go, it was wonderful, and can’t recommend it highly enough.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *