For Love & Honor

Award-winning historical fiction author Jody Hedlund presents the third book in her trio of related medieval young adult novels. For Love and Honor gives a nod to Beauty and the Beast. In For Love and Honor, Lady Sabine is a young noblewoman. Although she is beautiful and wealthy, she has a physical flaw that could prevent her from making a good marriage as well as endanger her life due to 14th century superstitions. Meanwhile, Sir Bennet is called home to rescue his family from financial ruin. His brother has incurred a debt that cannot be easily repaid. The only recourse is to marry a wealthy noblewoman, but Bennet doesn’t want to marry just for that. Sabine travels to Bennet’s home, thinking she is purchasing some valuable art and unaware that her grandmother has her own plan. When Bennet’s home is attacked while Lady Sabine is there, they are forced to trust one another. Will they build a relationship based on love and honor? What will happen when Sabine’s blemish is revealed and she is called a witch? Written from a dual viewpoint, the book employs two different fonts. Hedlund excels at showing how others judge by external appearances while God judges by the inward beauty. The spiritual element is evident but not heavy-handed. Filled with descriptive narrative and endearing characters, For Love and Honor is an entertaining read–except for the necessary violence in the fighting scenes and Sabine’s imprisonment. Its believable plot has enough twists to keep the reader engaged. Fans of Lisa Bergren’s River of Time series, Dina Sleiman’s Valiant Hearts series, and Melanie Dickerson’s medieval young adult books will also enjoy Hedlund’s medieval stories. Recommended for teen collections in public libraries and school libraries. Carol R. Gehringer
It is April 1391, and 20-year-old Sir Bennet has been called home to Maidstone Castle, Hampton, to save the family from inevitable attack and financial ruin. The options are minimal at best: sell off the family heirlooms and property or marry into a wealthy family. Sir Bennet, a man of honor, is sickened by the thought of marrying for financial gain instead of for love. Still, he agrees to meet wealthy 17-year-old Lady Sabine, who believes that she will be visiting Maidstone to purchase art from the family’s massive collection. Sir Bennet works diligently to win her heart, and she gradually falls for his attention, but she is keeping secrets of her own: she has a birthmark on her forearm that has prevented her from developing relationships with others. In fact, on the way to Maidstone, Lady Sabine and her grandmother are stopped by bandits, and in an attempt to repel the attackers, Lady Sabine reveals the mark and claims to be a witch. This choice returns to haunt her and almost costs her her life. Eventually, Sir Bennet and Lady Sabine must decide if the feelings they have developed for each other are true love and if they can ever truly trust each other once their secrets have been exposed. Told in alternating chapters of first-person narration, this evocative “will-he-won’t-he-will-she-won’t-she” historical romance will tease readers straight through to the heart-stopping ending. VERDICT Recommended for fans of Melanie Dickerson’s titles, this will make a solid addition to any YA romance collection.–Susan Harris, Ridgeway High School, TN