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
