A Celtic Yuletide Carol Christmas in the Castle
Medieval Holiday Romance
Wild Rose Press
11/6/24
Kindle
203
Amazon
Once a royal Breton knight, Sir Cardin is now infamously known as Basati, the Basque Wolf. Savage and sullen, he drowns his guilt in raucous taverns, accruing enormous debt and acquiring vengeful enemies. Ulla, widowed daughter of a Viking chieftain, is a skilled archer who lives as a recluse in a secluded woodland cottage. Rendered mute by trauma, she avoids humans, preferring the company of her wild wolf and falcon as she hunts in the Forest of Brocéliande. When his mother's dying wish calls Basati home, he finally meets the son he abandoned at birth and Ulla, the enigmatic priestess who is teaching the boy to hunt. As the holidays approach, Basati finds himself smitten with the beguiling beauty as he bonds with his once forsaken child. But past enemies plot against him, and Basati is ensnared in darkness. Can music lure the savage wolf into the light of love?
Review By Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
I opened the book and didn’t put it down until it ended. Now I must fight not to reveal everything that happens since so much happens it is hard to decide where to start without giving any spoilers.
Cardin and his brother Gaultier are knights at Chateau de Montmarin. It has been six years since Cardin left home after the death of his wife giving birth to their son, Lukaz. Cardin never looked at his son. For six years he has lived with the pain but a letter from his mother will finally bring him home.
When Gaultier and Cardin arrived home he met his son for the first time. Lukaz is the most amazing boy. On seeing his father, he ran right into his arms so happy that mean kids will stop calling him a bastard, his daddy is here. Lukaz is anxious to show his father everything he has learned from Ulla, a healer trained by Cardin’s mother.
Ulla like Cardin has suffered loss, she watched as pirates killed her husband and infant son before she was saved. She lost the two loves of her life and her ability to speak. Ulla has taken to training Lukaz in hunting and shooting his bow and arrow.
Cardin regrets the years he wasn’t there for his son, the years he spent drunk, gambling, fighting and in debt from a moneylender. Unfortunately, he is convinced that he will fall back into his old ways and with no money or home he has nothing to offer his son or the woman he is now falling in love with.
Lukaz keeps asking his father if he will stay, an answer Cardin is unable to give. What Cardin is unaware of is the last night of gambling with two bags of silver until he was attacked and robbed would lead to. He was also robbed of his wolf head knife due to his nickname, Basti, Basque Wolf.
While Cardin fights with himself over staying or leaving, Gaultier can’t wait to leave and return to the woman he fell in love with, Dolssa, a serving girl. Hopefully their story will be coming. While Cardin grows closer to his son and Ulla someone is plotting against him which could decide whether he leaves or stays.
Cardin, Ulla and Lukaz hunt together, Cardin and Ulla begin to fall for each other, but he still believes he is not worthy of her or his son. If he leaves Lukaz will return to live with his brother Bastien and his wife Gabrielle whose story we read in Winter Solstice. This is a spinoff off of that series and one I highly recommend reading.
So much happens in this book, romance, surprises, secrets and danger. The characters are amazing, I especially loved little Lukaz, a little boy with so much love to give and who just wanted his daddy.
I can’t recommend this book enough or any of the other series by Ms. Walker.