The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven Medieval, Historical, Romance, Viking Romance, Dark Fantasy
Wild Rose Press Inc.
Sept. 5, 2022
Kindle
377
Amazon
In this dark fairy tale adaptation of a medieval French legend, Issylte must flee the wicked queen, finding shelter with a fairy witch who teaches her the verdant magic of the forest. Fate leads her to the otherworldly realm of the Lady of the Lake and the Elves of Avalon, where she must choose between her life as a healer or fight to save her ravaged kingdom.
Tristan of Lyonesse is a Knight of the Round Table who must overcome the horrors of his past and defend his king or lose everything. When he becomes a warrior of the Tribe of Dana, a gift of Druidic magic might hold the key he seeks.
Haunted and hunted. Entwined by fate. Can their passion and power prevail?
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
This is Ms. Walker’s debut novel and as far as this reviewer is concerned, she is a winner. A new take on Tristan and Isolda and that is just the beginning, we get a taste of Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Lancelot, Guinevere, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Elves, Little Folks, dwarves, Vikings and not a boring moment from beginning to end. An author who can put all of this in a book and keep you glued and wanting more is an author who goes on my list of favorites.
It all begins when King Donnchadh of Ireland is awaiting the arrival of his betrothed, Princess Morag of Scotland. The king’s daughter Issylt is fourteen and her greatest joy is going out to ride her horse, Luna. When she meets Morag for the first time, she gets a bad feeling and it is a feeling that proves to be true. Her father is totally taken with his beautiful bride and his world seems bright and happy, but Issylt sees the darkness and evil in her stepmother and she gets the brunt of her cruelty.
Issylt’s nurse is sent away, and she is taken for a ride surrounded by Morag’s knights, a ride that does not include a return trip. When the king dies Issylt is the heir to the throne and that is something that Morag will make sure doesn’t happen. Fortunately, the two knights sent to bring her heart back to the queen can’t do it and tell Issylt to follow the path to the cottage of the Witch of Hazelwood Forest. It is here that she finds love with Maiwenn and learns everything she needs to know about healing. With a new name, Eglantine, her blond hair covered life goes on but a betrayal will reveal she is alive and will bring the queen and her knights to Maiwenn’s home.
Once again Issylt is saved due to Maiwenn’s awareness of the evil coming and she has arranged for her to go to Avalon where she will be safe, continue her knowledge of healing and live with Viviane, Lancelot’s mother. She discovers her gift for healing and learns she has the gift of sight. It is that gift that enables her to see her father dying while the queen looks on. Issylt longs to save her father but without an army she would only fail and die along with her beloved father.
There is so much going on in this book that I am beginning to believe my review will become a story of its own, but I need to begin Tristan’s story. At the age of eight Tristan witnessed Vikings butchering his family but only for one of the knights with him he would have gone running toward his family in an effort to save them. Tristan was left an orphan filled with guilt for not saving his family and rage against the Viking that killed them. He was sent to live with his uncle, King Marke of Cornwall and is his heir. A Tournament of Champions is held by his uncle and the ten winners will be sent to Camelot to train to become a Knight of the Round Table.
Tristan is one of the winners and becomes friends with Lancelot and his bravery and popularity just grows and grows. How and when he meets Issylte is something I will leave for you to read, and it is just as wonderful and exciting as everything else in this book. The only complaint I have is I have to wait for the next book and I will impatiently wait for its arrival.
I can’t recommend this book enough and this has to be the longest review I have written and I have written a bunch.
ROMANCE/HISTORICAL
