The Mountain Dark
Kathryn Le Veque
Medieval Romance

Will love win out over his sense of duty?

Kress de Rhydian is a man on a mission.

The second Executioner Knight is given a very important directive –William Marshal is determined to make a match between a Welsh princess and a great marcher lord. With King John having recently married his daughter to the last Prince of Gwynedd, the Marshal seeks to balance that power with a strategic marriage of his own. Kress is tasked with protecting the Welsh princess, no matter what the cost, until she can reach her destination.

The cost may be his soul.

Cadelyn of Vendotia is the daughter of two powerful royal bloodlines. Having been raised in the house of the Earls of Arundel, she is more English than Welsh, and she has no desire to be part of a political marriage. An educated woman with a penchant for naughty poetry, Cadelyn is one of the last full-blooded Welsh princesses and a very valuable commodity. But there is a complication – the princess falls in love with Kress along the way, and in spite of himself, Kress cannot deny his growing feelings for her.

But there is a rebellion afoot, one tied to her betrothed. A group calling themselves the Rebels of Rhos, led by Cadelyn’s long-lost mother, is determined to use Cadelyn to feed their cause. They have promised lands and wealth to the greedy brothers of Cadelyn’s betrothed in exchange for their support of the rebellion, one that neither William Marshal – nor Kress – have any idea about. They will be taking Cadelyn straight into a firestorm if she makes it to Wales, and the center of this storm is a place called Mynydd Twywll (Mountain Dark). It is the heart of the rebellion.

When the terrible plans for Cadelyn finally become known, it is nearly too late to save her, but Kress and her escort give it a valiant try. When reinforcements arrive from an unexpected source, Kress risks his life to take Cadelyn to safety.

Will his sense of duty and his loyalty to England win out? Or will the love of a Welsh princess be his downfall?

Uncaged Review: In this book about the Executioner Knights, Kress along with Achilles and Alexander are tasked with taking Cadelyn, a pure Welsh princess to the Paladin, the de Shera stronghold to be wed to the Earl, Tatius. Mountain Dark is a Fortress in Wales, the match made to secure an alliance and to balance power in the region. But Cadelyn has been raised English, and has no knowledge of the Welsh people, only that she’s been protected by William Marshall her whole life. The Knights have been tasked with securing her protection until the marriage has been secured. What they didn’t count on, was the emotions she brings up with Kress.

This book has action, suspense, betrayal and dark secrets, and last but not least – love, all the ingredients for a Le Veque novel, and it will keep the reader flipping pages to find out what happens next. This book captivated me from the very beginning and held my attention throughout the book. If you like medieval romance, you can’t go wrong with this author. Amazing read.
Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Nighthawk
Kathryn Le Veque
Medieval Romance

1271 A.D. – The Wolfe’s greatest son is a man known as NIGHTHAWK.

Patrick de Wolfe is every bit his father’s son – cunning, intelligent, and ruthless. An enormous man with his father’s dark hair and his mother’s pale green eyes, he’s the man destined to lead William de Wolfe’s great legacy. He is so great, in fact, that the king has personally asked for his service, as one of the king’s personal body guards. On the eve of Patrick departing for this auspicious assignment, he finds himself caught up in a skirmish along the Scots border.

And a prize lands in his lap that will change his destiny.

A prize in the form of a Scots captive harboring a deadly and important secret, one that could bring war and destruction upon those who shelter her. When Brighton “Bridey” de Favereux is rescued by the powerful English knight, she is taken back to the massive fortress of Questing Castle, seat of the legendary de Wolfe family. Having known nothing but hardship and cruelty her entire life, she is surprised when they are kind to her. The English, who are supposed to be her mortal enemy, are gracious and generous. For the first time, she understands that people can be kind to each other.

And the kindest one of all is the man who saved her.

Some loves are unexpected while others are instantly realized. The love between Patrick and Brighton is something that comes from a deeper place of understanding and attraction, a powerful love that cannot be denied… but it is a love that may cost them both their very lives when Bridey’s terrible secret is uncovered.

Uncaged Review: When I wanted to continue reading in this author’s world, I decided to stay with the de Wolfe clan and this story centers around Patrick, known as the Nighthawk and one of the most feared sons of The Wolfe and maintains control over Berwick Castle, not far from his father’s domain, Questing Castle. Berwick Castle is a large, almost impenetrable castle. Patrick is known as the Nighthawk, making his own name for himself for his prowess at war and is getting ready to travel to London to a prestigious position with the King. He comes upon a skirmish on the border and finds a woman captive by some reivers. When captured he finds she’s a postulate for a priory and was kidnapped by the men. Along with the woman, Brighton, was a nun, whom Patrick finds and is told a tale by the nun’s dying words.

Taking her back to Berwick, he decides to get counsel from his father, William. But things will spin out of control, and Patrick will need to decide if his feelings of wanting to protect the woman is just his honor or something more. There are a lot of secrets that have been kept from Brighton, and the de Wolfe’s could become a target from a Scottish clan and some Norsemen.

This was an action-packed book, and the family members are back here, along with a gaggle of grandkids. William is older now, but still a force to be reckoned with, along with their wives. The romance isn’t quite as fast as William and Jordan, but William will soon find out that his son has become a formidable man.

I don’t know how the author can sweep us into the epic journey, but I’m along for the ride. I was completely in awe of the masterful way this story was told, and how this author astonishes me every time I read one her books.
Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

The Black Dragon
Kathryn Le Veque
Medieval Romance

Welcome to the world of THE BLACK DRAGON!

Addax al-Kort was not born in England.

As the heir to the throne of a defunct distant kingdom (near present day Pakistan), Addax came to England with a trade caravan when he was very young. He became a page for a powerful knight and worked his way through the ranks and protocols of Medieval England to become a full-fledged English knight serving William Marshal. Addax is part of the brotherhood of Executioner Knights serving the Marshal, but he has a great talent for the tournament circuit. Competing under a standard emblazoned with black dragon, he becomes quite rich.

But something changes the course of his life forever.

A man he thought was a friend.

Addax and Maximillian de Grey, a fellow competitor, are close friends, so close that Addax leaves the tournament circuit to go with his friend to help secure his new legacy when he marries a woman of his father’s choosing. Unfortunately, that’s where the trouble begins, for Maximillian is not noble man when it comes to women. He doesn’t want a wife and he makes that abundantly clear. He has mistresses, openly, in front of his new wife, and steps on everything that marriage stands for.

But the new wife isn’t any ordinary woman. Emmeline de Witt is a sweet, beautiful woman who doesn’t deserve what Maximillian is dishing out. Addax is put in the position of comforting his friend’s wife simply out of duty and a sense of compassion, but the inevitable happens. When the woman Addax loves is abused by her husband, will he look the other way because of the sanctity of marriage? Or will he fight for the woman who has captured his heart, no matter what happens to him in the end? He’s a man of honor, above all… but will honor be what he chooses?

Addax has lost everything in his life – his throne, his identity, his family. But Emmeline… Emmy… gives him hope that he can know joy once again. In her, he can see his destiny.

Or his death.

Uncaged Review: Sir Addax al-Kort, a magnificent knight, known on the tournament circuit as the black dragon, is one of the greatest! Addax loves to compete in tournaments, especially against fellow knights and even his best friend, Maximillian “Max” de Grey. Max’s father had instantly betrothed him to the beauteous Lady Emmeline “Emmy” de Witt. Addax is very surprised at the marriage but feels there is another motive for why the wedding was done in so much haste. When Addax is asked by Christopher “Chris” de Lohr, an Executioner Knight, to find out the true reason why Max’s father so wanted the marriage and if it had something to do with the Scottish? Chris asks Addax to go to Max’s home and find out the real reason while also passing along information to him. Addax will do this and also becomes very close to Emmy, slowly falling for her too as well. Addax realizes that there is a fine line between being Max’s friend and his love for Emmy is also putting them both in mortal danger.

What an amazingly wonderful historical romance that is not only a joy to read yet manages to captivate anyone who reads it! The book might be a love story, yet there is so much more than just a tale of that. There is so much depth, beautiful visuals and fascinating characters that the story literally transcends on another level that I couldn’t help but get caught up in the novel too. There are very few plot holes that are left unturned. Sure, I had a few questions about what actually happened to Addax’s family and wanted to know what really happened, yet I figured it would all turn out fine. Addax is such a charming, honorable knight that, even though he isn’t truly English, he’s still a tremendous person that is worthy of being a perfect book boyfriend. While Emmeline isn’t the young sweet innocent damsel but an older woman who is still feisty and is just enchanting too. Do I look forward to more of the executioner knights? Well of course, I do! Hopefully Essien gets a story too. Ms. Kathryn Le Veque writes not only with a deep passion for the story, but everything too. I anxiously await more of her books, no matter what they may be!
Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4.5 Stars