The late middle ages. England’s king seeks to recover the French lands of his ancestor William the Conqueror and claim the continental throne. France’s king aspires to seize the remainder of his royal vassal’s lands and retain his throne. So begins the Hundred Years’ War, the backdrop against which the formidable Wulfriths of the AGE OF CONQUEST and AGE OF FAITH series continue their tale.
SCOURGE OF THE ENGLISH
Chevalier Amaury de Chanson, once the King of France’s prized privateer on the high seas, has been through the crucible of battle and betrayal. Believed to have perished during an English siege, after years of enslavement by an old adversary, he escapes. Vengeance burning bright, he resolves to destroy his enemy’s pirating operations. Arriving in England where his orphaned son has become the ward of the formidable Baron Wulfrith, he encounters the man’s sister. When Lady Fira unmasks his disguise, Amaury is forced to flee with her to keep her out of enemy hands. As they navigate lands fraught with danger, he is drawn to the woman whose spirit stirs a long-dormant heart, further complicating his quest. Then there’s the secret she holds close… Caught between a longing for justice and feelings he dare not indulge lest the dark of him slay the light of her, will he choose redemption and a future with Fira, or will the tides of vengeance sweep both into the abyss?
KEEPER OF THE BOOK OF WULFRITH
As keeper of her family’s history, Lady Fira anticipates expanding her part in their tale once she weds. When that hope and her independence is threatened by an illness some believe evidence of evil, she hides her symptoms lest her protective family reduce her life to little more than a threadbare tapestry. While continuing to research Wulfrith lore and hone her archery skills, a covert outing places her in the path of the vengeful, long-lost sire of her brother’s ward, entangling her in his bid to escape an enemy who has traded the sea for land. Though secretly thrilled to embark on an adventure, when their flight forces her to act as no lady should and her illness jeopardizes their lives, her courage and faith are tested. And more so with her heart seeking to claim his amid mounting peril. Will he risk his quest for vengeance—even his life—for a woman whose affliction is destined to keep them apart?
From USA Today Bestselling author Tamara Leigh comes the sixth book in a new medieval romance series set in the 14th century during The Hundred Years’ War.
Tamara Leigh signed a 4-book contract with Bantam Books in 1993, her debut medieval romance was nominated for a RITA award, and successive books with Bantam, HarperCollins, and Dorchester earned awards and appeared on national bestseller lists.
In 2006, the first of Tamara’s inspirational contemporary romances was published, followed by six more with Multnomah and RandomHouse. Perfecting Kate was optioned for a movie, Splitting Harriet won an ACFW Book of the Year award, and Faking Grace was nominated for a RITA award.
In 2012, Tamara returned to writing historical romance with the release of Dreamspell and the bestselling Age of Faith and The Feud series. Among her #1 bestsellers are her general market romances rewritten as clean and inspirational reads, including Lady at Arms and Lady of Conquest. In late 2018, she released Merciless, the first book in the new AGE OF CONQUEST series, followed by Fearless and Nameless, unveiling the origins of the Wulfrith family. Psst!—It all began with a woman. Watch for Heartless in Spring 2020.
Tamara lives near Nashville with her husband, a German Shepherd who has never met a squeaky toy she can’t destroy, and a feisty Morkie who keeps her company during long writing stints.
Connect with Tamara at her website www.tamaraleigh.com, Facebook, Twitter and tamaraleightenn@gmail.com.
I've been a fan of Tamara Leigh's since 2008 when I read Faking Grace. I haven't read all of her medieval stories, but the ones I have have stuck with me. This one is a new favorite because she wove into the story a character struggling with epilepsy and did a fantastic job.
I loved Fira . . . watching her sneaking off without an escort just made me giggle. Even in today's modern medicine, my mom wanted to put me in a bubble, my girls have said they're going to create a bubble suit that I will put on when I'm alone.
Tamara Leigh's storytelling is vivid and places the reader right in the pages of the story.
She also had Fira place a piece of cloth in her mouth at night when she went to sleep to protect her mouth from a seizure. While I don't have tonic clonic, mainly known as convulsive. But I chew my tongue and cheek horribly usually drawing blood with temporal lobe epilepsy.
As a reader, I haven't read many books with an epilepsy character. It was so fun to read this story and see what might have happened in medieval times. I think this might be my favorite book of the year!
Reasons to read: - Medieval Epic - Pirates and Knights - Disability Representation (Epilepsy) - Wulfrith family lore, and scenes featuring characters from previous books - Romance and Revenge - Age gap/opposites attract
My Thoughts: A former French pirate and a courageous Lady from an enemy kingdom embark on an emotional quest in Tamara Leigh's latest medieval epic, Perilous.
Fira was a beloved character from the start of the series. Joyful and curious, she was the favorite of the family, with a slightly rebellious side to her brought on by their protective nature. Fira’s character arc was brilliant. She struggled with falling sickness, or epilepsy as it is known today. Her journey in accepting her circumstances and who she was as a person, was heartwarming. Fira’s strength and faith throughout the ordeals she faced were a highlight in the story. She brought balance to Amaury, who didn’t have it easy either. I loved the jaded (if not slightly grumpy) Frenchmen. Amaury also had his fair share of rebellion rising to the rank of notorious pirate and merchant, until he was betrayed and tortured for years. Amaury’s only goal in life was to reunite with his young son and take revenge on those who betrayed him. His character suffered with his new circumstances, while actively fighting off the demons born from his time in captivity. Both character arcs were fulfilled beautifully.
Amaury and Fira’s romance was one of my favorites in this series. The attraction between them was noted from their first encounter, and only grew in intensity the longer they were in each other’s company, forced together on a journey neither were prepared to make. They had great chemistry and a fun dynamic - Fira’s enthusiasm was the perfect companion to Amaury’s critical nature. The romance was steady on both sides, with the emotional connection deepening with each chapter. While 13 years was not a big age gap and was common in medieval times, I was happy at the fact their age difference was discussed and addressed in the story. Amaury and Fira faced a fair number of obstacles to be together, but theirs was a happy and hardwon end.
Leigh is the undisputed queen of medieval storytelling. Her writing style pulls you into one of the most epic, and sometimes unforgiving, times in history. Well-researched and strategically paced, there was not a dull moment in this story. Set during the 100 Years' War, Fira and Amuray’s adventures took them from escaping mercenaries and crazed priests on land, to battling pirates on the seas, and back again. It was a unique and entertaining plot, that had me invested. Leigh did an amazing job describing the experience of someone living with epilepsy. The symptoms and onset epileptic attacks were accurate and helped me understand the gravity of Fira’s fears for her future. I also appreciate that while horrific at times (i.e torture), Leigh did not shy away from showing the medieval prejudices, superstitions, and practices involving those who had the falling sickness.
After everything, I can say that I trust Tamara Leigh to deliver a 5-star reading experience. Perilous was worth the wait and quickly became one of my favorites in this series. With the way this story ended and the introduction to new characters, I cannot wait for the final two books in this series! ------------- Final Rating: 5/5 ------------- Content: Trigger warnings - kidnapping, torture, PTSD, death, epileptic seizures Romance - Fade to Black ------------- *** While can be read as a stand-alone, reading in series order is encouraged to avoid spoilers. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Oh, my, Oh my! Tamara Leigh is a skilled storyteller. Each of her books invites us to travel back in time to an era we can only imagine. She brings the medieval world to life. From the pageantry of the customs to the action of the fighting and the language of the time, there is nothing left amiss. WHENEVER Tamara Leigh writes a book, I will read it and know I will be taken to a place that I don’t want to come back from. Her stories leave me with so much to feel and think about; it’s hard to put into words. In this story, we get to know Fira, the youngest Wulfrith, who has a sickness she wants to keep hidden from everyone. She’s a strong-spirited young lady and happens upon a man who can change her whole world. Amaury intends to right a wrong and return what was taken from him. Their time together is rich and full of drama and also tender moments. I love how the author, Tamara Leigh, creates such stunning images with her words. It's so easy to picture all that is happening; it takes the reader on a fantastic adventure. From the start to the final page of this book, I was captivated and didn’t want to put it down. It’s a story where you, as the reader, will sit on the edge of your seat until you see what happens and how it all plays out. This author knows how to write books that will stay with you long after you’ve closed the pages and put the book down. I highly recommend this and ALL of Tamara Leigh’s books. Her storytelling will captivate you so much that you will not want to miss one of her books!
For me, Tamara Leigh's medieval historical romances are stories within poetry. My copies are always heavily highlighted, and sighs, tears and smiles are my constant reading companions. The same courtly love-medieval language that sometimes tangles the mind in the reading is also that which rises above modern language to more beautifully and accurately express the hearts of these medieval characters, as well as mine if I were so gifted to write such. I found this medieval language in the story of Amaury and Fira a little more difficult to grasp than all the many others Leigh has written, but in the end it soars. Mayhap it is an accompaniment to Amaury's tangled liberation or Fira's attempt to free herself from the bondage of the grip Falling Sickness has had on her life, but in the end the language simplifies and soars along with their own freedom to love and live. This was not my favorite Leigh story in the making, but the ending was more than satisfying and lovely and definitely worth a read.
Though I did give PERILOUS a 5-star review, and will still list it among my favorites (because of the whole of the series), it was a little different from the other books in the series.
PERILOUS traveled at a slower pace than other books in the series and I had a harder time keeping straight all the character from past books. That could be because of the lapse between reading book five and this being book six. Also, the romance in the story felt more like a side spur than the main heart of the story. The usual sparks between characters wasn't really there until over halfway through the book. I love the character of Fira for her fire and independence while I found Amaury was stoic and not as charismatic as the men in the Wulfrith clan. However, the climax of the story was well worth the wait.
Still a wonderful read for those who love the medieval period.
Perilous is a tale that takes both characters on a journey. Tamara Leigh created an immersive layered experience in Perilous. Surcumstances for the main characters create orced proximity and chances for growth. Leigh weaves themes of growing from your past in this book. She really takes you on a journey! But I won't say where.... The romance is more of a slow burn than some of the earlier books in the series. The pacing felt slow at times to me as well. Yet her trademark flawed and real feeling characters will win you over and make you feel invested in their story. I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the author, all thoughts and opinions are honest and completely my own.
I have read every book she's written. They are an addiction. In each book, you feel as if you truly know the characters. Its like they're your friends or your nemesis. You want to dive in and bring them to your house for a big party. Her attention to detail and description takes you into the scene and you can feel the emotions and even the weather. I have recommended her books to a few, and after starting in on a book, they get them all. Perilous was no exception to Tamara's gift! I truly believe her talent is a gift from God. In each book, she brings the faith, or lack of, for the characters in the story. She brings intrigue, romance (clean), fighting, and emotion. Always on the edge of your seat!
I absolutely loved Perilous! Fira is a remarkable heroine—kind, brave, and wise beyond her years. Her journey is one of resilience and quiet strength, making her a character readers can truly root for. The hero is equally compelling, a perfect match for Fira, with a dynamic that is both deeply romantic and emotionally rich.
As expected from a Tamara Leigh novel, the romance is closed-door but still brimming with tension and passion, creating moments that leave you breathless. The story is packed with adventure, danger, and a powerful theme of healing that adds depth to the characters' arcs. From daring escapes to heartfelt revelations, Perilous delivers everything you want in a historical romance. A must-read for lovers of sweeping medieval tales with rich storytelling and unforgettable characters!
I loved the age gap plot, and as always with Leigh's books, the redemption arc. I also enjoyed the historical aspect of piracy for king and country that wasn't cheesy or romanticized, but that showed its harsh brutality. I'm also looking forward to the next book in the series that was set up so well in this one.
Something I've noticed in the last couple books of this series, though, is random scenes with very minimal side characters as well as some POV head hopping that interrupt the story. It's nothing that will keep me from rating these books among my favorites, but it did cause me some confusion.
I’ve read everything Tamara Leigh has written. Enjoy her work and style. This one involved a heavy focus on torture for both main female lead and male lead. I couldn’t stomach reading that much harm to humans. Found myself skipping pages in those scenes. Ms. Leigh’s work is usually much lighter. Still clean read but harder to get through and less enjoyable with multiple torture scenes.
It generally takes me a couple of chapters before I am smoothly reading Tamara Leigh’s books due to the old English speech but I love it just the same. Or maybe even better since it brings the age to life so well. I love her stories of adventure, intrigue and romance. This does not disappoint. Highly recommend you step into the medieval world of the family.
However this one is so amazing. The story and the way it is told grabbed me and held me to the last word and left me wanting more. Congratulations on an excellent story.
A truly lovely story. As with all the books of Honor, they are well worth reading. I so look forward to each new adventure! Thank you Ms. Leigh for sharing such a wonderful gift with us, your fans.
Tamara weaves tales of triumph that both spring from the heart of man and dwell within the heart of man. Are not all of our victories a measure of both? Ah, least I forget, she always includes the greatest victory, when two hearts become one.
Two people distantly related by 200 years or more find each other. One beaten almost to death another with a seizure sickness. Trusting in God they overcome to wed each other. Another worthy book to read. Big D
I could hardly put this book down, it was incredible. I’m so glad to be able to read Fira’s story. The characters are amazing. I know you are going to love it.