Terrific enemies-to-lovers story set during the Norman attempts to conquer Wales. The author's passion for the history of her country shows in the vivid descriptions of places, people, and events. The opening pages were an irresistible hook, and I was glued to the story from start to finish.

A year earlier, the invading Normans attacked Princess Gwennan's home. Her brothers and husband were killed, and her parents were taken prisoner. Gwennan put away her woman's clothes, dressed as a man, and led those left in a desperate attempt to save her homeland. As the book opens, her troop is ambushed, and though some escape, Gwennan is captured by the knight, Rolant.

Rolant's mission is to deliver supplies to the garrison at a recently conquered Welsh fort, then take over its protection. During a battle against Welsh attackers, Rolant is shocked to find that the boy he captured is a woman. Rather than throw her to the wolves (his men), he protects her and keeps her secret. Gwennan's fury is palpable, and she is vocal in her hatred for the Normans. I enjoyed the interactions between Gwennan and Rolant, who is amazingly patient with her and perhaps a little overconfident in his abilities. It was fun to see Gwennan turn the tables on him and take him prisoner, setting the stage for an intriguing turn of events.

I liked Rolant. He is a good and honorable man who suffers from terrible guilt from an incident with his family. His pain is overwhelming and keeps him from believing that he deserves the love that he craves. I loved his protectiveness toward Gwennan, which he sees as redemption for his past mistakes.

Gwennan was a complicated character. The loss of her husband hit her hard, and she has channeled that pain into her quest to take back her lands. I liked her care for her people but got frustrated with her constant attempts to push Rolant away. He was trying to help her, and she wanted nothing to do with it.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Rolant and Gwennan. Their attraction was evident from the beginning, though both fought it. For Rolant, his past and sense of honor kept him from taking advantage of Gwennan, though his feelings for her grew. Her spirit, determination, and intelligence make her irresistible to him. Gwennan was disturbed by the feelings Rolant stirred in her, the desire for him, and the guilt that she was forgetting her husband.

Circumstances force them into a closer relationship, and both must find a way to put their pasts behind them if they want a future together. I ached for both as they struggled to put those pasts and fears behind them. Rolant's explanation of his past was heartwrenching, and I could feel his pain as he told Gwennan about it and his determination as he finally put it behind him. Rolant won my heart when he had the love and patience to give Gwennan the space to work through her feelings and fears and be there when she was ready to talk about them. The ending was fantastic, and I loved the epilogue. ( )