2014, 397p, YA Historical Romance
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received an ARC from the author for an honest review
In the unforgiving Mesopotamian desert where Jayden’s tribe lives, betrothal celebrations abound, and tonight it is Jayden’s turn to be honored. But while this union with Horeb, the son of her tribe’s leader, will bring a life of riches and restore her family’s position within the tribe, it will come at the price of Jayden’s heart.
Then a shadowy boy from the Southern Lands appears. Handsome and mysterious, Kadesh fills Jayden’s heart with a passion she never knew possible. But with Horeb’s increasingly violent threats haunting Jayden’s every move, she knows she must find a way to escape—or die trying.
With a forbidden romance blossoming in her heart and her family’s survival on the line, Jayden must embark on a deadly journey to save the ones she loves—and find a true love for herself.
Set against the brilliant backdrop of the sprawling desert, the story of Jayden and Kadesh will leave readers absolutely breathless as they defy the odds and risk it all to be together.
I loved this book! Jayden is 16 and is preparing for her betrothal ceremony. She's not anxious to marry Horeb but knows that it's expected of her. Horeb has made her uncomfortable lately and she doesn't love him. Their union will be good for the tribe, so she must go through with it. She finds herself enjoying the celebration and dancing with the women is lots of fun. The next day, their tribe is relocating to the northern summer lands and it's the beginning of a lot of changes for Jayden.
I loved Jayden! She was so strong and had a lot to deal with. Just when I would start breathing more easily, something else would happen so I was definitely kept on my toes the entire time. It didn't take long to realize why she didn't want to marry Horeb and the kind of man he was. Kadesh was a sharp contrast to him and it was hard for her to conceal her feelings for him, even though those feelings were incredibly dangerous for both of them.
I enjoyed her relationship with her sister Leila. Leila was older than Jayden and was engaged to marry Horeb's older brother Zenos, who died a month after they got engaged. Leila changed a lot and didn't always make decisions that Jayden agreed with. They had a lot to deal with and each took a different route but they were always there for each other.
Towards the end, this book really picked up and I couldn't put it down until I was done. And then it ended on a cliffhanger! I'm looking forward to the second book where the biggest question I have will be answered and to see how Jayden handles the next phase of her life.
There is some content which I felt fit in well with the story and the time period in which it was written. It also helped me understand the real fears that Jayden had.
Content: There is no swearing. There is some sexual innuendo and brief instances of prostitution. There is also some violence, including assault and attempted rape.
Award-winning author Kimberley Griffiths Little was born in San Francisco, but now lives in New Mexico on the banks of the Rio Grande with her husband and their three sons. Her middle-grade novels, When the Butterflies Came, The Last Snake Runner, The Healing Spell, and Circle of Secrets, have been praised as “fast-paced and dramatic,” with “beautifully realized settings.” Kimberley adores anything old and musty with a secret story to tell. She’s stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland; sailed the Seine in Paris; ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan; shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria.
2 comments:
The cover of this book is so FANTASTIC! Your review was awesome! Cannot wait to read it :)
I love the cover, too, and forgot to mention that! I'm excited to hear what you think about it!
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