Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Red Kingdom Review #rabtbooktours

Fairy Tale Retellings, Book Two (standalone)

Historical Romance (Medieval)

Date Published: 04-10-2024

Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined classic fairy tales. Due to adult content and themes, it is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

What you can expect from Red Kingdom...

Dark, Medieval Setting

Enemies to Lovers

Slow Burn

Broken Alpha Hero

Strong Heroine

Wolf Companion

He Falls First

Redemption

Warring Kingdoms

Blanchette spots the Black Wolf during the siege

Death at her feet. Death in her home. Death in the air.

Death screamed in every corner of her mind.

Then she saw him.

Rowan Dietrich, the fabled Black Wolf of Norland, strode through her castle like a waking nightmare. His armor was crudely made, black as the surrounding night, the helm’s dark metal twisted into the shape of a wolf’s snarling head. But the most striking thing about him was his height. He towered above the other fighters and battled with a chilling methodicalness. How he moved and fought frightened Blanchette the greatest.

He looked collected. Even mildly amused. As if this were nothing more than a game. Blood soaked his sword as the blade whirled, whipped, slashed, and claimed lives in a macabre dance of death. And that wolf clung to his heels, its muzzle wet with blood, snarling and leaping at any man who dared come close to its master.

Monster. Demons.

The Black Wolf of Norland had always had a mist of legend around him. She remembered the stories her mother and governess had often whispered after the feasts and in the dark of the night.

“To me,” the Black Wolf called to a soldier a few yards away, his deep voice effortlessly carrying above the tumult. He didn’t need to yell, not even over the mayhem. The force of his tone was enough.

One of her father’s guards raised his blade, but too slowly. Rowan Dietrich’s longsword cut his head off, then came flashing back in a terrible two-handed slash that took another soldier in the leg.

With quivering anger, she realized that this man—this wolf, this beast—was the reason the sky was falling on her family. She clutched the dagger, wishing she could stand a chance against him. How good and right it would feel to plunge the blade deep into his heart and avenge what would likely be the end of her family’s dynasty.

Of course, she’d never survive him or his demon wolf. And if she was ever to avenge her family, if she was to keep her promise, survival meant everything.

Free use image from Open Clipart Vectors

Ornery Owl's Review

Rating: Four out of Five Stars

This well-written dark fantasy retells the well-known tale of Red Riding Hood. However, in this case, Red Riding Hood isn't a little girl wearing a red hood taking a picnic basket to her grandmother's house. She is a princess given a red cloak by her grandmother during a siege on her family's castle. Her grandmother is murdered shortly thereafter by a servant whom Princess Blanchette had previously trusted implicitly.

This book is definitely not appropriate for young or more sensitive readers. It includes violent battle scenes, the slaying of helpless children and elderly victims, and the sexual assault of females unfortunate enough to be captured by the invaders and not killed outright. All of these circumstances were very real possibilities during a seizure of territory. The scenes were not written in an exploitative or gratuitous fashion. However, they can make for disturbing reading, so proceed with caution.

I appreciated Blanchette's determination and resourcefulness. I'm not a great fan of stories where the heroine falls for her captor, especially when he leads a brutal assault leading to the deaths and/or sexual assaults of innocent civilians. Roland is a more nuanced character than I initially anticipated. If the story were depicted in a less bloody fashion, it would have been easier for me to get on board with the romantic relationship between himself and Blanchette.

This story is not the right choice for those who prefer a dreamier and less bloody fantasy writing style. It's the perfect choice for readers who appreciate realistic depictions of events inspired by history, even those events that aren't pleasant to think about.

About the Author

I live in Sunny California with my dashing husband, who inspires my romance novels every day!

Writing has always been an integral part of my identity. Before I physically learned how to write, I'd narrate stories to my mom, and she'd record them for me.

I graduated from Chapman’s film school, where I often received the feedback on my scripts, “Your stories and characters are great, but this reads like a novel!” That’s when I realized my true calling.

In my free time, I frequent reptile expos, lift double my body’s weight, and indulge in dinosaur trivia.

I'm passionate about writing stories that explore what it means to be human and to be loved. My books focus on hope, courage, and redemption in the face of adversity.

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