Publisher: Zondervan
Series: Stand-alone
Edition: e-book
Pages: 304
Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: November 29th 2011
*Received for review at Net galley*
An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past.Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart
As a lover of the historical fiction genre I will always have a place on my shelf for these titles. This book was beautifully written and had a little bit of "Beauty and the Beast" that made it a unique retelling. It was very fun and easy to read and had beautiful descriptions of the world around Annabel. Annabel goes through some really interesting struggles that had me rooting for her to find her voice and continue to be the strong woman she presented herself to be. I really liked reading about Annabel and Lord Ranulf and their dialogue between each other, that was something I definitely enjoyed!
The only complaint that I had was the religious aspect. It's not so much that I had a problem with it, I just felt like the author was trying to be a little aggressive with her beliefs and at times it made it difficult to want to continue reading. I don't have a problem with religious aspects in books but I think there is a way to do it correctly without turning off some readers. Lightly talk about the idea of religion, if the main character has values that she wishes to protect that is fine but don't make it the focus point of the story.
I did like this book. A 3.5 rating for me is pretty great and the only issue I had was the religious aspect.
River of Time series is a series I read that had religious aspects and was also a historical fiction, but it wasn't the main point of the book.
I enjoyed Annabel and Lord Ranulf's dialogue, too! They had some pretty interesting conversations. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know, maybe it's because I'm used to reading Christian fiction, but I did not take the Christian tones in The Merchant's Daughter to be preachy.