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Welsh Blades #3
Desire Lines
10 hours and 20 minutes
All he ever wanted was to go home.
Leaving his life as a noble hostage behind him, Gryff has fled from one danger to another, never safe, always longing for a forbidden return to his conquered Welsh homeland. Held captive by villainous men, his unlikely savior is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen – and the most deadly. Her silence is unnerving, her generosity unexpected, and her pointed warning that she will not be an object of lust is perfectly clear.
Nan has no doubt the ragged Welshman she has saved from certain death was born to better things, far different from the servant’s life she’s led. Though the last thing she wants is a companion on her journey to find her cherished sister, she is compelled to help the man with haunted eyes and a mysterious past. But she feels the pull of his fascination every instant, and her own unexpected desire soon takes them places neither could have foreseen.
©2019 Elizabeth Kingston (P)2019 Elizabeth Kingston
All he ever wanted was to go home.
Leaving his life as a noble hostage behind him, Gryff has fled from one danger to another, never safe, always longing for a forbidden return to his conquered Welsh homeland. Held captive by villainous men, his unlikely savior is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen – and the most deadly. Her silence is unnerving, her generosity unexpected, and her pointed warning that she will not be an object of lust is perfectly clear.
Nan has no doubt the ragged Welshman she has saved from certain death was born to better things, far different from the servant’s life she’s led. Though the last thing she wants is a companion on her journey to find her cherished sister, she is compelled to help the man with haunted eyes and a mysterious past. But she feels the pull of his fascination every instant, and her own unexpected desire soon takes them places neither could have foreseen.
©2019 Elizabeth Kingston (P)2019 Elizabeth Kingston
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 21, 2019
58 people are currently reading
748 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Kingston
13 books317 followers
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Elizabeth Kingston lives in Chicago, where she can be found gleefully subverting tropes and inventing new ways to make fictional people kiss. When there's time for it (hint: there's always time for it) she shouts loudly about the intersection of historical romance and white supremacist narratives. Lipstick, skincare, and baked goods all rank high on her list of Other Interests. She sincerely hopes you enjoy her writing, and that you'll share it with others.
Elizabeth Kingston lives in Chicago, where she can be found gleefully subverting tropes and inventing new ways to make fictional people kiss. When there's time for it (hint: there's always time for it) she shouts loudly about the intersection of historical romance and white supremacist narratives. Lipstick, skincare, and baked goods all rank high on her list of Other Interests. She sincerely hopes you enjoy her writing, and that you'll share it with others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
March 26, 2019
I always love it when an historical romance has a strong focus on the actual history of the period in which it is set, and Elizabeth Kingston is one of a handful of authors writing now who is able to do that whilst developing an engaging and heartfelt romance that works perfectly within the greater historical context of her novels. Her
Welsh Blades
series, set admit the turbulent times of the late thirteenth century during and after the conquest of Wales by King Edward I, continues with Desire Lines, the tale of two wounded souls whose tender discovery of each other is born from a violent act and made amid their struggles to come to terms with the past.
Gruffydd ab Iorwerth, the youngest scion of a noble Welsh family, has lived most of his life in England where he was sent as ‘hostage’ for the continued good behaviour of his father. This was a common practice at the time, and these boys and young men were well treated and brought up almost as part of the family they were lodged with. Gryff lives in contentment – and luxury - for many years until his half-brother, Rhodri, attempts to kill him, and he flees to a monastery, where he lives quietly for five years, working, making friends and continuing to hone the falconry skills he learned as a boy. When the monastery is attacked and burned to the ground by thieves, Gryff is captured, and it’s only his skill with the hunting birds – and their potential market value – that saves him from being put to death… but he knows it’s only a matter of time.
He’s been with the band of brigands for some time, chained, starved, beaten and used as a servant, when they attempt to rob travellers on the road – and Gryff watches, stupefied as all eight of them are killed by a slight young woman whose speed and skill with her blades is nothing short of amazing. One of her party, a knight, has sustained some injuries, so they decide to take him to the nearest monastery for help, and the young woman – whom Gryff learns is called Nan – frees him from his bonds and allows him to accompany them.
I admit that I found the opening of the novel – while beautifully written – rather slow and hard to get into. Nan is aloof and unknowable, and because she doesn’t speak often, most of what we learn about her comes from those around her and Gryff’s thoughts and impressions. I haven’t read the online/newsletter prequel, Nan, which delves into her backstory; perhaps it would have helped me to know how a serving girl became a warrior and friend to powerful ladies (Gwenllian and Elunded from the previous books) and would have gone some way towards shedding more light on her in this book. But even without that knowledge, it’s clear that Nan is a complex, damaged character – and Gryff is equally so, dealing with conflicting loyalties, survivor’s guilt and long-smouldering anger and resentment over his father’s sending him away when he was a boy.
As Nan and Gryff travel together – she is travelling to Lincoln to find her younger sister – their initial wariness towards each other slowly turns into friendship, albeit with a simmering undercurrent of attraction running between them. It’s once Nan finds Bea, and discovers that the sister she has found isn’t the sister she knew, that the book really starts to take off. Nan’s focus until this point had been her sister to the exclusion of all else, but with her quest completed, and in a way she hadn’t at all expected, she’s left somewhat purposeless. Meanwhile Gryff, who has been gradually regaining his health, strength and confidence, is feeling the pull of hiraeth and starting to consider the possibility of returning to Wales and home – even though he knows his life may be in danger should his identity ever be discovered.
Now that both Nan and Gryff are free – she of her quest, he of weakness and of a life spent in captivity – they are also free to explore the attraction that’s been growing between them, but real life has a way of catching up, which it does here, in spectacular fashion.
I enjoyed the latter parts of the story – in which we’re reunited with Eluned and the political machinations of court life – very much (it was probably my favourite part of the book overall), and was especially pleased to see Gryff come into his own. He’s come a long way from the emaciated, frightened captive we first met, and is prepared to face the challenges awaiting him head on, determined to do his best for those dependent on him. But there’s a cost, as always, and for Gryff, this may well be the woman he’s come to love.
I reached the end of Desire Lines feeling satisfied but not wowed. I liked, but didn’t love it – partly, because it was difficult to get into and I never felt as though I really knew Nan, and partly because there was something about the central romance that didn’t quite work for me. I’m struggling to articulate my concerns, but they’re aligned with what my GR friend Blackjack says in her review, that Gryff is “subdued by her [Nan] in more ways than one. Awed by her battle skills, shamed by his lust for her, fearful of encroaching, and ultimately wary of offending”. There were a couple of moments when a simple, innocuous action met with a threat of violence that didn’t sit right with me; she pulls a knife on him when they’re about to have sex (to which she has clearly consented), for instance. And I didn’t feel as though I’d had enough time to adjust to their being happy together before the book ended.
So it’s mixed feelings overall, although I did enjoy Desire Lines and I continue to think Ms. Kingston is one of the best authors of historical romance writing today. Her research is impeccable; she integrates a high level of historical detail into her novels without ever making it seem as though the reader is being given a history lesson or subjecting them to large info-dumps, and her prose is elegant, intelligent and impactful. Even though I wished for a stronger romance, I nonetheless enjoyed Nan and Gryff’s journeys and will certainly be snapping up more books in the series whenever they appear.
Gruffydd ab Iorwerth, the youngest scion of a noble Welsh family, has lived most of his life in England where he was sent as ‘hostage’ for the continued good behaviour of his father. This was a common practice at the time, and these boys and young men were well treated and brought up almost as part of the family they were lodged with. Gryff lives in contentment – and luxury - for many years until his half-brother, Rhodri, attempts to kill him, and he flees to a monastery, where he lives quietly for five years, working, making friends and continuing to hone the falconry skills he learned as a boy. When the monastery is attacked and burned to the ground by thieves, Gryff is captured, and it’s only his skill with the hunting birds – and their potential market value – that saves him from being put to death… but he knows it’s only a matter of time.
He’s been with the band of brigands for some time, chained, starved, beaten and used as a servant, when they attempt to rob travellers on the road – and Gryff watches, stupefied as all eight of them are killed by a slight young woman whose speed and skill with her blades is nothing short of amazing. One of her party, a knight, has sustained some injuries, so they decide to take him to the nearest monastery for help, and the young woman – whom Gryff learns is called Nan – frees him from his bonds and allows him to accompany them.
I admit that I found the opening of the novel – while beautifully written – rather slow and hard to get into. Nan is aloof and unknowable, and because she doesn’t speak often, most of what we learn about her comes from those around her and Gryff’s thoughts and impressions. I haven’t read the online/newsletter prequel, Nan, which delves into her backstory; perhaps it would have helped me to know how a serving girl became a warrior and friend to powerful ladies (Gwenllian and Elunded from the previous books) and would have gone some way towards shedding more light on her in this book. But even without that knowledge, it’s clear that Nan is a complex, damaged character – and Gryff is equally so, dealing with conflicting loyalties, survivor’s guilt and long-smouldering anger and resentment over his father’s sending him away when he was a boy.
As Nan and Gryff travel together – she is travelling to Lincoln to find her younger sister – their initial wariness towards each other slowly turns into friendship, albeit with a simmering undercurrent of attraction running between them. It’s once Nan finds Bea, and discovers that the sister she has found isn’t the sister she knew, that the book really starts to take off. Nan’s focus until this point had been her sister to the exclusion of all else, but with her quest completed, and in a way she hadn’t at all expected, she’s left somewhat purposeless. Meanwhile Gryff, who has been gradually regaining his health, strength and confidence, is feeling the pull of hiraeth and starting to consider the possibility of returning to Wales and home – even though he knows his life may be in danger should his identity ever be discovered.
Now that both Nan and Gryff are free – she of her quest, he of weakness and of a life spent in captivity – they are also free to explore the attraction that’s been growing between them, but real life has a way of catching up, which it does here, in spectacular fashion.
I enjoyed the latter parts of the story – in which we’re reunited with Eluned and the political machinations of court life – very much (it was probably my favourite part of the book overall), and was especially pleased to see Gryff come into his own. He’s come a long way from the emaciated, frightened captive we first met, and is prepared to face the challenges awaiting him head on, determined to do his best for those dependent on him. But there’s a cost, as always, and for Gryff, this may well be the woman he’s come to love.
I reached the end of Desire Lines feeling satisfied but not wowed. I liked, but didn’t love it – partly, because it was difficult to get into and I never felt as though I really knew Nan, and partly because there was something about the central romance that didn’t quite work for me. I’m struggling to articulate my concerns, but they’re aligned with what my GR friend Blackjack says in her review, that Gryff is “subdued by her [Nan] in more ways than one. Awed by her battle skills, shamed by his lust for her, fearful of encroaching, and ultimately wary of offending”. There were a couple of moments when a simple, innocuous action met with a threat of violence that didn’t sit right with me; she pulls a knife on him when they’re about to have sex (to which she has clearly consented), for instance. And I didn’t feel as though I’d had enough time to adjust to their being happy together before the book ended.
So it’s mixed feelings overall, although I did enjoy Desire Lines and I continue to think Ms. Kingston is one of the best authors of historical romance writing today. Her research is impeccable; she integrates a high level of historical detail into her novels without ever making it seem as though the reader is being given a history lesson or subjecting them to large info-dumps, and her prose is elegant, intelligent and impactful. Even though I wished for a stronger romance, I nonetheless enjoyed Nan and Gryff’s journeys and will certainly be snapping up more books in the series whenever they appear.
March 1, 2019
While I didn't really love the way NAN, book 2.5, was told, it is definitely required reading before slipping into DESIRE LINES. So off you go before you pick this one up!
"The words of a serving girl are seldom noted. And so she did find a way through silence to her voice. It was only when she stopped speaking that she was ever heard."
I'll admit that this one took a bit to get into it. I don't know if it was because of the shifting timeline or if I was just slow to warm to the hero but from the get-go Nan had my heart.
Five years without a woman, and the first one God put in his path was beautiful enough to tempt angels to sin -- and covered in weapons.
Kingston's world is so unique, I honestly don't know of any historical romance author who writes this time period or writes so authentically in ways that are true to the setting but also, painfully, modern. Consent is a huge theme in both the prequel novella and this story and Nan's situation is unique only in the way she was championed; and in the way she took back her power. It is so beautiful and brave and the moment she actually, literally, drops her weapons.. my god.
"There is enough hate in my heart to burn down the world entire. But you are in the world. You are in my heart."
I can't say this is my favourite of the three (I still think that honour goes to book one for reasons) but it is a very worthy addition to the Welsh Blades world. I find myself endlessly fascinated by this series not just for the brilliant writing or the strong heroines but also because I end up learning so much. This is a time in history I know so little about and it's such a pleasure to be entertained and also educated at the same time. This review isn't saying much, mostly because so much is the aftermath of the previous instalments, not to mention some details could be considered spoilers for the novella, but really all you need to know is that if you haven't already added this series to your tbr, you absolutely should.
** I received an ARC from the author (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
"The words of a serving girl are seldom noted. And so she did find a way through silence to her voice. It was only when she stopped speaking that she was ever heard."
I'll admit that this one took a bit to get into it. I don't know if it was because of the shifting timeline or if I was just slow to warm to the hero but from the get-go Nan had my heart.
Five years without a woman, and the first one God put in his path was beautiful enough to tempt angels to sin -- and covered in weapons.
Kingston's world is so unique, I honestly don't know of any historical romance author who writes this time period or writes so authentically in ways that are true to the setting but also, painfully, modern. Consent is a huge theme in both the prequel novella and this story and Nan's situation is unique only in the way she was championed; and in the way she took back her power. It is so beautiful and brave and the moment she actually, literally, drops her weapons.. my god.
"There is enough hate in my heart to burn down the world entire. But you are in the world. You are in my heart."
I can't say this is my favourite of the three (I still think that honour goes to book one for reasons) but it is a very worthy addition to the Welsh Blades world. I find myself endlessly fascinated by this series not just for the brilliant writing or the strong heroines but also because I end up learning so much. This is a time in history I know so little about and it's such a pleasure to be entertained and also educated at the same time. This review isn't saying much, mostly because so much is the aftermath of the previous instalments, not to mention some details could be considered spoilers for the novella, but really all you need to know is that if you haven't already added this series to your tbr, you absolutely should.
** I received an ARC from the author (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
May 11, 2019
This EK outing was FABULOUS - oh how I adore those warrior ladies. We get to see Eluned from book two again and the romance in this one was mostly well done.
EK writes very strong female leads and as in many relationships, there is a definite power balance and it is NOT on the male lead's side. So if alpha males are your cuppa, you will not be happy with this book.
However, the setting, the events and the background happenings are all historically accurate and there is a HUGE DOG BONUS, for those of us who count things like that.
I also really enjoyed how our heroine's journey through life was aided and abetted by other women who paid it forward and did their best to help the next generation succeed in life. It is commonly thought that in medieval times, women were essentially chattel and to a certain extent that was very true.
But we also know that there were women who had power and there were women who actively worked together (in a medieval kinda way, via marriage, trade and family connections,) to build things up and take an active role in their own and their family's lives.
(A good place to start with the medieval ladies is here, Portraits of Medieval Women: Family, Marriage and Social Relationships in Thirteenth Century England- Ms. Mitchell does a very good overview of how the ladies of the past got things done - or sometimes not, as the case may be.)
Consider that running a medieval household was a lot like being the CEO of your own little company. Everything that a household consumes and uses in everyday life is dependent on the skills of the women who run them.
Their power may not have been overt, (tho Eluned would have a few words about that,) and they weren't necessarily dictating the laws of the kingdom, but these women had tremendous influence. I am so happy to read an author who takes the time to show a much more nuanced version of medieval life than you normally get in a modern medieval romance and manages to pull off a well done journey to an HEA too.
Give this one a go if you run into it, or better yet, grab yourself a nice bottle of wine and some snacks, hunt this one down and have yourself a great afternoon with an excellent road trip and a pretty nice romance.
Fuss the Dog - best character in the book.
EK writes very strong female leads and as in many relationships, there is a definite power balance and it is NOT on the male lead's side. So if alpha males are your cuppa, you will not be happy with this book.
However, the setting, the events and the background happenings are all historically accurate and there is a HUGE DOG BONUS, for those of us who count things like that.
I also really enjoyed how our heroine's journey through life was aided and abetted by other women who paid it forward and did their best to help the next generation succeed in life. It is commonly thought that in medieval times, women were essentially chattel and to a certain extent that was very true.
But we also know that there were women who had power and there were women who actively worked together (in a medieval kinda way, via marriage, trade and family connections,) to build things up and take an active role in their own and their family's lives.
(A good place to start with the medieval ladies is here, Portraits of Medieval Women: Family, Marriage and Social Relationships in Thirteenth Century England- Ms. Mitchell does a very good overview of how the ladies of the past got things done - or sometimes not, as the case may be.)
Consider that running a medieval household was a lot like being the CEO of your own little company. Everything that a household consumes and uses in everyday life is dependent on the skills of the women who run them.
Their power may not have been overt, (tho Eluned would have a few words about that,) and they weren't necessarily dictating the laws of the kingdom, but these women had tremendous influence. I am so happy to read an author who takes the time to show a much more nuanced version of medieval life than you normally get in a modern medieval romance and manages to pull off a well done journey to an HEA too.
Give this one a go if you run into it, or better yet, grab yourself a nice bottle of wine and some snacks, hunt this one down and have yourself a great afternoon with an excellent road trip and a pretty nice romance.
Fuss the Dog - best character in the book.
September 2, 2019
How many times had he heard troubadours sing of this ideal beauty-the long golden hair, the sparkling blue eyes, the fair face and delicate form? And the silence,of course. THe songs never hinted that there could be more that there were entire worlds within her that went unsung, that the look of her was the least of her.
Succinctly and truthfully put, this is one of those reviews that is a bitch to write. When that happens, and when I want to do a book justice, I'm forced back to the author's words to ground me. The book opens with Gryff, the hero, learning with the master falconer, and the art of the difficult task. The patience, the trust, and it's clear that Gryff has the ability to be "servant to those who serve him." And in the end there is his relief that there is no taming. Knowing what we know of Nan, from Nan, which I'm glad I could read, we can see why he's going to be the perfect kind of complement to her quiet rage, her fierce independence, and her darkness. There are so many things in this novel which bring it full circle that I found myself at times wondering what I had missed.
I don't know if I can adequately (no) express how much I liked the way this book was structured and built. I didn't love ALL of Kingston's choices, but I see where they are very deliberate. I forgot more than I remembered while reading--and I should say--listening. in this book, that I listened for me was very important. My mind often wanders when I read, but listening it rarely will, and listening to Nicholas Boulton read a book like this, it honestly never will.
I thought the silent conversations of the couple were done superbly, and as someone who needs comfortable silence, I really appreciated how there was actual foundation built upon this.
She felt even more untethered from her life, floating free, holding onto him in the blackness. The strong beat of his heart seemed the center of the world. He was a soft place, one where she might at last rest her head and feel safe.
The long process of disarming Nan was probably the thing I liked least, in the sense that it took what seemed to be so long, and felt a little uncomfortable from the perspective of Gryff. However, I get that she's defensive, and it's probably more the stuff of legends to have her pulling one of her knives all the time instead of ducking away due to her trauma.
One of the other favorite things about this book, particularly compared to the last two were those depended on strong women trying to exist w/in their time, was the fact that Nan felt tied to so many other women. Nan said a nightly prayer to all the women who saved her. It was a delightful oftentimes emotional reminder of the power our small acts of courage can have for another woman. I found this to be one of the most poignant parts of the book, particularly when Nan meets her sister again.
"Again and again I am saved by good women. I will not forget their names...I'm not more than what I was born to, as you say. It's only that I had them."
Once again, her love declarations at the end were VERY large....
I know other readers found Nan outshone Gryff...and I-I just didn't see it. I felt similarly about Robert mind you, they are made strong by their quiet kindness, by their compassion, by their ability to love. I don't find them to be quite similar, but they are different for sure from Morency, without a doubt...
Speaking of, I loved the scenes with the past characters and often felt myself hoping this will go elsewhere soon. Eluned was a particular force here, as usual.
So, that's pretty disjointed review.... I'm delighted, and I am really glad I waited on the narration of this wonderful book, I think that brought extra life into it for sure.
(I should mention, I won a copy of the audiobook from the author, but I'd pay for it any day of the week.)
Succinctly and truthfully put, this is one of those reviews that is a bitch to write. When that happens, and when I want to do a book justice, I'm forced back to the author's words to ground me. The book opens with Gryff, the hero, learning with the master falconer, and the art of the difficult task. The patience, the trust, and it's clear that Gryff has the ability to be "servant to those who serve him." And in the end there is his relief that there is no taming. Knowing what we know of Nan, from Nan, which I'm glad I could read, we can see why he's going to be the perfect kind of complement to her quiet rage, her fierce independence, and her darkness. There are so many things in this novel which bring it full circle that I found myself at times wondering what I had missed.
I don't know if I can adequately (no) express how much I liked the way this book was structured and built. I didn't love ALL of Kingston's choices, but I see where they are very deliberate. I forgot more than I remembered while reading--and I should say--listening. in this book, that I listened for me was very important. My mind often wanders when I read, but listening it rarely will, and listening to Nicholas Boulton read a book like this, it honestly never will.
I thought the silent conversations of the couple were done superbly, and as someone who needs comfortable silence, I really appreciated how there was actual foundation built upon this.
She felt even more untethered from her life, floating free, holding onto him in the blackness. The strong beat of his heart seemed the center of the world. He was a soft place, one where she might at last rest her head and feel safe.
The long process of disarming Nan was probably the thing I liked least, in the sense that it took what seemed to be so long, and felt a little uncomfortable from the perspective of Gryff. However, I get that she's defensive, and it's probably more the stuff of legends to have her pulling one of her knives all the time instead of ducking away due to her trauma.
One of the other favorite things about this book, particularly compared to the last two were those depended on strong women trying to exist w/in their time, was the fact that Nan felt tied to so many other women. Nan said a nightly prayer to all the women who saved her. It was a delightful oftentimes emotional reminder of the power our small acts of courage can have for another woman. I found this to be one of the most poignant parts of the book, particularly when Nan meets her sister again.
"Again and again I am saved by good women. I will not forget their names...I'm not more than what I was born to, as you say. It's only that I had them."
Once again, her love declarations at the end were VERY large....
I know other readers found Nan outshone Gryff...and I-I just didn't see it. I felt similarly about Robert mind you, they are made strong by their quiet kindness, by their compassion, by their ability to love. I don't find them to be quite similar, but they are different for sure from Morency, without a doubt...
Speaking of, I loved the scenes with the past characters and often felt myself hoping this will go elsewhere soon. Eluned was a particular force here, as usual.
So, that's pretty disjointed review.... I'm delighted, and I am really glad I waited on the narration of this wonderful book, I think that brought extra life into it for sure.
(I should mention, I won a copy of the audiobook from the author, but I'd pay for it any day of the week.)
March 19, 2019
B - A solid entry to the Welsh Blades series, though ultimately for me, one that I enjoyed more for the politics of the Welsh rebellions and court intrigues than for the romance. The second half of the book gripped me and was a page turner as the novel sharply shifts in tone and plot to the main couple's attempts to navigate the treacherous court intrigues to stay alive and, frankly and surprisingly, to a power grab on the hero's part.
But back to the romance, since this is a romance novel...I felt a bit bored for quite a way into the book. Whereas Nan's prequel with the eponymous title featured her first person narrative and explored her history and struggles to redefine herself as something other than a victim, in Desire Lines, she is mysterious and unknowable. Most of the story focuses on Gryff's perspective of Nan, and so we are positioned into viewing Nan the way he sees her - aloof, silent, unwelcoming, (and yet ultimately kind in her efforts to help him). If I had not read Nan's book prior to this one though, I think she would have been even more distant than I found her. But even having read Nan's story, I still have never cottoned to her character. She's either too much the victim, as she was in her own book, or too much the reserved warrior, with very little in between. And though I liked Gryff, I did not love him with her. He's subdued by her in more ways than one. Awed by her battle skills, shamed by his lust for her, fearful of encroaching, and ultimately wary of offending, Gryff walks a tightrope like no male character I can recall. I'm a passionate supporter of the #MeToo movement and have enjoyed greatly the response from romance authors who make clear that a different dynamic is needed on issues like consent. This book certainly does this, but perhaps, dare I say, takes it to such an extreme that the hero lives in the heroine's shadows and fears every wrong step. I eventually felt sorry for Gryff and then annoyed with Nan who was ready to gut him any number of times, including once when he ran his fingers through her hair. Once Nan decides Gryff is trustworthy, I still felt that she was on the verge of shutting him down once his secrets became known to her. This is a book where the happiness between the two main characters is scant and comes a bit too little too late. Consent is a great idea to explore in romance, but here perhaps, it remains too conceptual and prevents the characters from becoming more than a concept.
There are still some very cool things going on in the book though, in addition to the political maneuvering between the Welsh and the English. I loved the falconry and Kingston's research really adds much to the life of her characters. Animal lovers too will appreciate Fuss, Nan's dog, who plays a significant role throughout the book. I also like Kingston best when she writes medieval stories. She captures these periods well and has an authentic voice for doing so.
But back to the romance, since this is a romance novel...I felt a bit bored for quite a way into the book. Whereas Nan's prequel with the eponymous title featured her first person narrative and explored her history and struggles to redefine herself as something other than a victim, in Desire Lines, she is mysterious and unknowable. Most of the story focuses on Gryff's perspective of Nan, and so we are positioned into viewing Nan the way he sees her - aloof, silent, unwelcoming, (and yet ultimately kind in her efforts to help him). If I had not read Nan's book prior to this one though, I think she would have been even more distant than I found her. But even having read Nan's story, I still have never cottoned to her character. She's either too much the victim, as she was in her own book, or too much the reserved warrior, with very little in between. And though I liked Gryff, I did not love him with her. He's subdued by her in more ways than one. Awed by her battle skills, shamed by his lust for her, fearful of encroaching, and ultimately wary of offending, Gryff walks a tightrope like no male character I can recall. I'm a passionate supporter of the #MeToo movement and have enjoyed greatly the response from romance authors who make clear that a different dynamic is needed on issues like consent. This book certainly does this, but perhaps, dare I say, takes it to such an extreme that the hero lives in the heroine's shadows and fears every wrong step. I eventually felt sorry for Gryff and then annoyed with Nan who was ready to gut him any number of times, including once when he ran his fingers through her hair. Once Nan decides Gryff is trustworthy, I still felt that she was on the verge of shutting him down once his secrets became known to her. This is a book where the happiness between the two main characters is scant and comes a bit too little too late. Consent is a great idea to explore in romance, but here perhaps, it remains too conceptual and prevents the characters from becoming more than a concept.
There are still some very cool things going on in the book though, in addition to the political maneuvering between the Welsh and the English. I loved the falconry and Kingston's research really adds much to the life of her characters. Animal lovers too will appreciate Fuss, Nan's dog, who plays a significant role throughout the book. I also like Kingston best when she writes medieval stories. She captures these periods well and has an authentic voice for doing so.
April 16, 2019
4.25/5. Gorgeous writing. Kick-ass heroine who carries an arsenal of sharps on her person and has deadly accuracy with each of these. I love how her past is slowly revealed to us little by little. Nan is from humble beginnings and has seen and experienced her fair share of trauma, but her extensive weapons training has ensured that she will be noone's victim ever again. Gryff aka Gruffydd ab Iorwerth ap Cynan Goch from Aderinyth is the youngest son of a Welsh prince, who has been living amongst the Normans as the hostage of the English King Edward since he was twelve. Aderinyth is famous for their mighty gyrfalcons and Gryff appropriately received training as a falconer while serving his time as political hostage in England. After the failed uprising of the Welsh against England, he feared for his own safety and fled his gilded prison, going into hiding for five years in a monastery. When Nan came upon him, he was physically emaciated and psychologically wrecked, after a traumatic few months as captive of a band of marauders. She tends to him silently, enabling his body to regain its strength slowly, although mentally it takes a bit longer for his nerves to settle.
Her quiet presence soothes him. Her weapons skills fill him with awe. Her enigma ignites his curiosity. Her uncommon beauty reminds him how long he has gone without a woman.
Five years without a woman, and the first one God put in his path was beautiful enough to tempt angels to sin - and covered in weapons.
They travel together to Wales, each initially for different purposes kept hidden from the other. Of course the inevitable happens.
She watched him disappear behind the trees at the edge of the clearing, her mouth bruised with kisses, her body burning. She wanted to call him back. She wanted to bury the knife between her shoulders. She wanted to stop wanting him.
Nan had been a scared and defenceless girl once. Her training has enabled her to rise above her fear. However, to be with Gryff means to leave herself bare and vulnerable once more.
In the soft sound of his breath she could hear that infinite patience of his, steady and calm, the way he waited for the falcon in its flight. It was not a helpless or hapless state, this patient waiting of his. he was there within it, unmovable. He would not advance unless invited, but nor would he yield his place, or himself, only because of her mood.
"There is enough hate in my heart to burn down the world entire." Her voice shook, her throat ached from the effort required not to scream. She looked at his profile and gathered the rough fabric of her dress into tight fists until her fingers grew numb. "But you are in my world," she said. "You are in my heart."
But even as she conquers past traumas and leaves herself open to him without a weapon within her reach, the future seems unsurmountable for he is a prince destined to lead his people into better days ahead and she, she is just plain Nan.
She could still hear Lady Eluned reciting his string of names and title, word after word after word. Then her own name next to it, once little sound anchored to nowhere and nothing.
The story is sweeping and richly detailed, depicting an interesting historical time. The prose just blew me away with its lyrical beauty. I had a couple of gripes. I didn't get why Nan was attracted to Gryff initially when he was still scrawny and weak both in body and in spirit. In fact, his personality and inner strength took a long time to reveal itself and physically, she was always his superior at least in vanquishing undesirable characters. At least Gryff bows to the greater presence:
"Let him take my land. Let him take my power and my title and my name. Let him take all of it, every possession to the very clothes off my back - and at the end I will come to you on my knees, pitiful and powerless, just as you found me. And I will call him a fool for making so poor a trade, for before God I swear that you a a prize greater than any kingdom."
She ranked above him in every way but bloodline.
This was an ARC provided by NetGalley.
Her quiet presence soothes him. Her weapons skills fill him with awe. Her enigma ignites his curiosity. Her uncommon beauty reminds him how long he has gone without a woman.
Five years without a woman, and the first one God put in his path was beautiful enough to tempt angels to sin - and covered in weapons.
They travel together to Wales, each initially for different purposes kept hidden from the other. Of course the inevitable happens.
She watched him disappear behind the trees at the edge of the clearing, her mouth bruised with kisses, her body burning. She wanted to call him back. She wanted to bury the knife between her shoulders. She wanted to stop wanting him.
Nan had been a scared and defenceless girl once. Her training has enabled her to rise above her fear. However, to be with Gryff means to leave herself bare and vulnerable once more.
In the soft sound of his breath she could hear that infinite patience of his, steady and calm, the way he waited for the falcon in its flight. It was not a helpless or hapless state, this patient waiting of his. he was there within it, unmovable. He would not advance unless invited, but nor would he yield his place, or himself, only because of her mood.
"There is enough hate in my heart to burn down the world entire." Her voice shook, her throat ached from the effort required not to scream. She looked at his profile and gathered the rough fabric of her dress into tight fists until her fingers grew numb. "But you are in my world," she said. "You are in my heart."
But even as she conquers past traumas and leaves herself open to him without a weapon within her reach, the future seems unsurmountable for he is a prince destined to lead his people into better days ahead and she, she is just plain Nan.
She could still hear Lady Eluned reciting his string of names and title, word after word after word. Then her own name next to it, once little sound anchored to nowhere and nothing.
The story is sweeping and richly detailed, depicting an interesting historical time. The prose just blew me away with its lyrical beauty. I had a couple of gripes. I didn't get why Nan was attracted to Gryff initially when he was still scrawny and weak both in body and in spirit. In fact, his personality and inner strength took a long time to reveal itself and physically, she was always his superior at least in vanquishing undesirable characters. At least Gryff bows to the greater presence:
"Let him take my land. Let him take my power and my title and my name. Let him take all of it, every possession to the very clothes off my back - and at the end I will come to you on my knees, pitiful and powerless, just as you found me. And I will call him a fool for making so poor a trade, for before God I swear that you a a prize greater than any kingdom."
She ranked above him in every way but bloodline.
This was an ARC provided by NetGalley.
March 22, 2019
I have never read a medieval romance so eloquently and exquisitely paced before. Never. I felt fully immersed in 13th Century Wales while also being swept away by the slow-burning romance between Nan and Gryff. I usually get a bit antsy with slow-burners, but much like Kate Clayborn's contemporaries, Kingston makes you love ever aching moment of the build-up before that first touch, the first kiss.
Also, I cannot even believe I'm writing this sentence, but Gryff is the ultimate medieval soft hero. Yes, I'm calling a Welsh Prince, trained in the art of falconry and swords-play, a soft hero. He'll love your dog (yes there is a wonderful dog and the dog is safe the entire story). And by soft I mean he'll cut off the head of your enemies and gift it to you as tribute but will patiently and forever wait for your permission to touch, to love, and to cherish. His adoration of Nan is utterly swoon-worthy.
And let's not forget Nan. I did not realize she has her own novella, book 2.5, but I didn't feel lost without it. Nan is an inspiration, a heroine who is quiet, who knows what she wants and what she'll accept, but also a heroine with struggles, flaws, and desires. I appreciated her desire to find her sister, I appreciated her struggle to not judge her sister's decision to partake in the sex trade, to shame her sister, but also her unwillingness to allow her sister to put children into the trade against their will. I loved her knives, and the women around her who helped Nan become the woman Gryff would fall in love with.
PLUS the secondary characters are also amazing and add so much to the story and the historical setting. Kingston paints a diverse, accurate Medieval world, not ignoring the ugly parts of history.
There are so many details to absorb and love, and I'm so delighted I was given a chance to read this story in advance.
Content warning: There are some stabbings and violence and death, but not to major characters. Both characters have extremely traumatic pasts that are talked about. Nan was threatened with rape many times and physical abused.
**Free copy received in exchange for a fair review.
Also, I cannot even believe I'm writing this sentence, but Gryff is the ultimate medieval soft hero. Yes, I'm calling a Welsh Prince, trained in the art of falconry and swords-play, a soft hero. He'll love your dog (yes there is a wonderful dog and the dog is safe the entire story). And by soft I mean he'll cut off the head of your enemies and gift it to you as tribute but will patiently and forever wait for your permission to touch, to love, and to cherish. His adoration of Nan is utterly swoon-worthy.
She felt in him, always, this allowance for her desires, for what she wanted and did not want. He accommodated her and she, who had grown accustomed to living in service of other people and other purposes, found it more pleasing than she could ever have imagined.
And let's not forget Nan. I did not realize she has her own novella, book 2.5, but I didn't feel lost without it. Nan is an inspiration, a heroine who is quiet, who knows what she wants and what she'll accept, but also a heroine with struggles, flaws, and desires. I appreciated her desire to find her sister, I appreciated her struggle to not judge her sister's decision to partake in the sex trade, to shame her sister, but also her unwillingness to allow her sister to put children into the trade against their will. I loved her knives, and the women around her who helped Nan become the woman Gryff would fall in love with.
PLUS the secondary characters are also amazing and add so much to the story and the historical setting. Kingston paints a diverse, accurate Medieval world, not ignoring the ugly parts of history.
There are so many details to absorb and love, and I'm so delighted I was given a chance to read this story in advance.
Content warning: There are some stabbings and violence and death, but not to major characters. Both characters have extremely traumatic pasts that are talked about. Nan was threatened with rape many times and physical abused.
**Free copy received in exchange for a fair review.
August 27, 2019
A Keeper of a Medieval Romance set in 13th-century Wales
Gryff was a Welshman raised as a noble hostage in the Norman court. Now he hides his true identity, saying only that he is a falconer, while he flees from one danger to another, longing to return to his homeland. (The word “Hiraeth” comes up repeatedly, meaning the Welsh concept of longing for home.) Meanwhile, a beautiful woman, who is very good with knives, saves him from a pack of villains.
Nan has no doubt the ragged Welshman she has saved was born to better things, far different from the servant’s life she has led. For one thing, his speech is more proper. Nan has suffered much and was always saved by women. That part of the story is intriguing, I must say, and so well done.
Nan’s first priority is to find her younger sister, who was lost to her long ago. Alas, that will prove a disappointing task as Nan discovers they are now very different women.
Rich in history, this story reflects much research on England and Wales in the 13th century and on falconry and Wales’ part in raising the noble birds. It’s also very well told, capturing the medieval era perfectly. I love Kingston’s writing, the emotion in her characters and the complex motives that compel them forward to their fate.
This is definitely a keeper, a true love story of the genre and so much deeper than most. I guess you can say I loved it!
Gryff was a Welshman raised as a noble hostage in the Norman court. Now he hides his true identity, saying only that he is a falconer, while he flees from one danger to another, longing to return to his homeland. (The word “Hiraeth” comes up repeatedly, meaning the Welsh concept of longing for home.) Meanwhile, a beautiful woman, who is very good with knives, saves him from a pack of villains.
Nan has no doubt the ragged Welshman she has saved was born to better things, far different from the servant’s life she has led. For one thing, his speech is more proper. Nan has suffered much and was always saved by women. That part of the story is intriguing, I must say, and so well done.
Nan’s first priority is to find her younger sister, who was lost to her long ago. Alas, that will prove a disappointing task as Nan discovers they are now very different women.
Rich in history, this story reflects much research on England and Wales in the 13th century and on falconry and Wales’ part in raising the noble birds. It’s also very well told, capturing the medieval era perfectly. I love Kingston’s writing, the emotion in her characters and the complex motives that compel them forward to their fate.
This is definitely a keeper, a true love story of the genre and so much deeper than most. I guess you can say I loved it!
August 21, 2022
4.5 STARS
Another great story from EK. I don't know why it took me so long to get through it. There were some slower (but necessary) sections of the the story in the beginning, which is the only reason I took off a little in my rating. No book that takes me a month and a half to read should get 5 stars. Otherwise I loved the story. Nan is a great character, humble and dignified but at the same time, a total badass heroine. Loved her! And I loved how Gryffydd's character transformed throughout the story based on his physical condition and captivity and how Nan slowly built him back up. Very well done. Excellent writing. I will definitely look into more books by EK.
“Let him take my land. Let him take my power and my title and my name. Let him take all of it, every possession to the very clothes off my back – and at the end I will come to you on my knees, pitiful and powerless, just as you found me. And I will call him a fool for making so poor a trade, for before God I swear that you are a prize greater than any kingdom.”
Another great story from EK. I don't know why it took me so long to get through it. There were some slower (but necessary) sections of the the story in the beginning, which is the only reason I took off a little in my rating. No book that takes me a month and a half to read should get 5 stars. Otherwise I loved the story. Nan is a great character, humble and dignified but at the same time, a total badass heroine. Loved her! And I loved how Gryffydd's character transformed throughout the story based on his physical condition and captivity and how Nan slowly built him back up. Very well done. Excellent writing. I will definitely look into more books by EK.
November 16, 2019
Desire Lines by Elizabeth Kingston is a compelling and page turning medieval romance, set during the turbulent times of post Welsh rebellion under King Edward the 1st.
Gryff has spent years on the run, ever since his father joined the last of the Welsh rebels who were soundly defeated and whose heirs were summarily executed. Hiding his Welsh heritage, particularly that he is a Prince of a small but important holding that raises prized hunting birds is paramount to his survival. When the abbey he had holed up in suffers a disastrous fire, he flees with the monks who’ve been protecting him, only to be captured by a band of thieves. Staked to a tree, he fears the worst for the traveling party who are set upon by the thieves as he watches, unable to do anything to stop the slaughter.
But to his immense surprise, a woman in the party turns the tables on the thieves. Her fighting skills are remarkable and suddenly he finds the bandits killed off, and himself set free. The woman, Nan, communicates by gestures and expressions and at first he thinks she is mute. But it turns out she is just frugal with her words, speaking only when necessary, though she makes it clear that she will be no man’s pawn or plaything. Nan is on a mission to Lincoln to find her sister, and Gryff, who pretends to be a simple Welshman of no consequence, joins her. As they travel together they indulge in a mutual attraction that lets them forget, at least for a short time, their pasts and what the future might bring. But when Gryff’s true heritage is revealed, will it spell the end of their passionate affair?
Fans of medieval romance would be remiss not to have the entire Welsh Blades series on their must-read shelf and this latest entry is another deep dive into the lives of commoners and royals alike in a quest to survive daily life in uncertain and dangerous times. From serving girl to fearsome protector, Nan is an enigma. Saving Gryff’s life, this unlikely couple journeys together in a unique ‘road trip’ across the English countryside. There are several secondary characters, ones who have been introduced in previous entries in the series who make cameo appearances, but the story still stands alone well for new readers.
There are no guarantees in this romance except for that all important HEA, but it doesn’t come easily. Nan and Gryff face external threats to their happiness (and mortality) from all sides. The research that has gone into writing this series is exceptional, and more than once I found myself heading to Wikipedia to read up on some of the real historical characters introduced. Exciting, intense, emotional, dramatic and with a heart wrenching ‘black moment’ that leads to an epic grovel and pledge of devotion and love, Desire Lines is a keeper.
This review is posted at Harlequin Junkie: https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-de...
A copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
Gryff has spent years on the run, ever since his father joined the last of the Welsh rebels who were soundly defeated and whose heirs were summarily executed. Hiding his Welsh heritage, particularly that he is a Prince of a small but important holding that raises prized hunting birds is paramount to his survival. When the abbey he had holed up in suffers a disastrous fire, he flees with the monks who’ve been protecting him, only to be captured by a band of thieves. Staked to a tree, he fears the worst for the traveling party who are set upon by the thieves as he watches, unable to do anything to stop the slaughter.
But to his immense surprise, a woman in the party turns the tables on the thieves. Her fighting skills are remarkable and suddenly he finds the bandits killed off, and himself set free. The woman, Nan, communicates by gestures and expressions and at first he thinks she is mute. But it turns out she is just frugal with her words, speaking only when necessary, though she makes it clear that she will be no man’s pawn or plaything. Nan is on a mission to Lincoln to find her sister, and Gryff, who pretends to be a simple Welshman of no consequence, joins her. As they travel together they indulge in a mutual attraction that lets them forget, at least for a short time, their pasts and what the future might bring. But when Gryff’s true heritage is revealed, will it spell the end of their passionate affair?
Fans of medieval romance would be remiss not to have the entire Welsh Blades series on their must-read shelf and this latest entry is another deep dive into the lives of commoners and royals alike in a quest to survive daily life in uncertain and dangerous times. From serving girl to fearsome protector, Nan is an enigma. Saving Gryff’s life, this unlikely couple journeys together in a unique ‘road trip’ across the English countryside. There are several secondary characters, ones who have been introduced in previous entries in the series who make cameo appearances, but the story still stands alone well for new readers.
There are no guarantees in this romance except for that all important HEA, but it doesn’t come easily. Nan and Gryff face external threats to their happiness (and mortality) from all sides. The research that has gone into writing this series is exceptional, and more than once I found myself heading to Wikipedia to read up on some of the real historical characters introduced. Exciting, intense, emotional, dramatic and with a heart wrenching ‘black moment’ that leads to an epic grovel and pledge of devotion and love, Desire Lines is a keeper.
This review is posted at Harlequin Junkie: https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-de...
A copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
October 5, 2024
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the first 25% a ton and then my enthusiasm waned. While I initially really liked both MCs, I found myself growing irritated at both of them -- especially the hero - as the story progressed. The heroine is a total knife-throwing badass, but I feel like the author focused too much on that aspect and what it represented and not enough on character growth....
Anyway, the writing was very well done, but I didn't totally love the story.
Anyway, the writing was very well done, but I didn't totally love the story.
August 20, 2019
Outstanding. Just filed it under Best of 2019.
Review for AAR to come.
Review for AAR to come.
June 15, 2025
"Five years without a woman, and the first one God put in his path was beautiful enough to tempt angels to sin – and covered in weapons."
Elizabeth Kingston is her own voice in Historical Romance. She doesn't just write medieval smut. She delves into the past that is England/Wales with a complex, believable, authentic and well thought out and executed, multi-faceted story about 2 people who fall madly in love in a difficult time period.
I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating timelines between 1288 and Gryff's youth starting in 1277.
Nan and her Welshman set out to find their way back to their past together and fall for each other along the way. Nan is oddly silent but her silence turns out to be her strength, the way she manifests her independence in times when women did not have any choices on how to live their life. Her strength and grit comes from other strong women who saved her from a life of whoring and poverty over and over again. When Nan realizes who her Welshman really is, the story becomes more complicated and in sync with the historic reality of cast and gender in those times.
Another strong medieval romance from Kingston! The story is gripping, the prose reflects the historical language perfectly and the whole book is a celebration of strong and independent women who fall in love with men who respect and honor them. A must read!
Elizabeth Kingston is her own voice in Historical Romance. She doesn't just write medieval smut. She delves into the past that is England/Wales with a complex, believable, authentic and well thought out and executed, multi-faceted story about 2 people who fall madly in love in a difficult time period.
I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating timelines between 1288 and Gryff's youth starting in 1277.
Nan and her Welshman set out to find their way back to their past together and fall for each other along the way. Nan is oddly silent but her silence turns out to be her strength, the way she manifests her independence in times when women did not have any choices on how to live their life. Her strength and grit comes from other strong women who saved her from a life of whoring and poverty over and over again. When Nan realizes who her Welshman really is, the story becomes more complicated and in sync with the historic reality of cast and gender in those times.
Another strong medieval romance from Kingston! The story is gripping, the prose reflects the historical language perfectly and the whole book is a celebration of strong and independent women who fall in love with men who respect and honor them. A must read!
September 26, 2025
The main character was poorly chosen in my opinion. Truly infuriated me. Had a hard time connecting to the story as well, and lost interest pretty quickly, which counts as a first in this series for me.
May 7, 2019
Another strong addition to the Welsh Blades series. Nan was introduced to readers in a novella released by the author prior to publication, so we know more of her background. I don't think it's necessary to read first, but it was helpful because much of the first part of the book is told from Gryff's POV, while Nan remains a bit of an enigma. I loved revisiting this part of history, which is so unique in historical romance. Kingston writes incredible women. One of the strengths of the previous books has been the female protagonists. Nan is strong but in a different way than Eluned or Gwenllian. And I loved how she relates to other women and the bonds she has with women who have helped her throughout her life (which is explained/explored a bit more in the novella than it is here). She helps Gryff deal with trauma, and in return he gives her space and patience. I really rooted for them to end up together. Their romance is a bit of a slow burn. The book has some nice surprises as well that I didn't entirely see coming. I would say I didn't quite connect with this much as much as the previous two books, but both of those are so good that it's setting a really high bar. This was still very well-written and compelling. Definitely recommend.
(Note: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
(Note: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
dnf
November 20, 2019DNF at 32%
Before I begin, I’d just like to say that this is a fascinating and well-written medieval romance. I think a lot of readers would love this. It just didn’t work for me for a variety of reasons, and I decided that it wouldn’t be fair to either the book or me if I struggled to the finish line.
1) I’d recommend you read the short novel NAN before DESIRE LINES to understand Nan’s traumatic backstory. This is technically a stand-alone but I think the reader would appreciate DESIRE LINES a lot more if they had context.
2) As a reader, I tend to favor more humorous and light-hearted books. I do enjoy reading books with darker themes (violence, gritty world building, angst, etc), but mostly those books have some humor to balance the darkness out. DESIRE LINES is not that. Both protagonists have traumatic/violent/sad backstories and they have a heart-breaking and poignant view on the world. It feels incredibly authentic to 13th century England. I just struggle to read books with dark themes and zero humor. I’m never in the mood for it, especially with how miserable the world is around us.
3) This might be an unpopular opinion but it is what it is: I hate flashbacks. I hate them with a passion of a thousand burning suns. They always take me out of the story, confuse me as to *when* I am, and feel unnecessary. I can only think of one exception in which I loved the flashback book. In this case, the flashbacks are always from the hero’s perspective (at least it was until 32%). This wasn’t a point in my favor because 1) I’m a heroine centric reader and am always more interested in the heroine and her past, and 2) since all the flashbacks are in the hero’s POV and the protagonists’ POV are otherwise split in the present day, it felt like the majority of the book was through the eyes of the hero. It’s possible this changed later on in the book, but I was unenthusiastic to continue because I wanted to see Nan’s perspective more.
4) I also have trouble when both characters are deeply introspective. It leads to pages and pages and pages of introspection, with very little dialogue in the middle. In this case, the issue was compounded because Nan prefers to stay silent.
I don’t know if this is a weird reader tic, but my eyes tend to blur when I read books with lots of inner monologues and less dialogue. It’s, well, boring to me. There are, as always, exceptions to this rule but I found myself impatiently skimming pages to get to the next plot point.
In summary: I don’t want to dissuade you from picking this book up. It has fascinating world-building and I was intrigued by the political setting. It also felt more authentic than any of the other medievals I’ve read. I appreciated the importance of consent and the amount of agency that Nan wielded.
I really, really wanted to like this book but it just didn’t work out. I’d rather DNF it now than force myself to finish it and rate it 2 stars. But if none of the things I cited are your pet peeves, then there’s a chance that you may enjoy this book (you should read other reviews for a better summation of the premise).
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Before I begin, I’d just like to say that this is a fascinating and well-written medieval romance. I think a lot of readers would love this. It just didn’t work for me for a variety of reasons, and I decided that it wouldn’t be fair to either the book or me if I struggled to the finish line.
1) I’d recommend you read the short novel NAN before DESIRE LINES to understand Nan’s traumatic backstory. This is technically a stand-alone but I think the reader would appreciate DESIRE LINES a lot more if they had context.
2) As a reader, I tend to favor more humorous and light-hearted books. I do enjoy reading books with darker themes (violence, gritty world building, angst, etc), but mostly those books have some humor to balance the darkness out. DESIRE LINES is not that. Both protagonists have traumatic/violent/sad backstories and they have a heart-breaking and poignant view on the world. It feels incredibly authentic to 13th century England. I just struggle to read books with dark themes and zero humor. I’m never in the mood for it, especially with how miserable the world is around us.
3) This might be an unpopular opinion but it is what it is: I hate flashbacks. I hate them with a passion of a thousand burning suns. They always take me out of the story, confuse me as to *when* I am, and feel unnecessary. I can only think of one exception in which I loved the flashback book. In this case, the flashbacks are always from the hero’s perspective (at least it was until 32%). This wasn’t a point in my favor because 1) I’m a heroine centric reader and am always more interested in the heroine and her past, and 2) since all the flashbacks are in the hero’s POV and the protagonists’ POV are otherwise split in the present day, it felt like the majority of the book was through the eyes of the hero. It’s possible this changed later on in the book, but I was unenthusiastic to continue because I wanted to see Nan’s perspective more.
4) I also have trouble when both characters are deeply introspective. It leads to pages and pages and pages of introspection, with very little dialogue in the middle. In this case, the issue was compounded because Nan prefers to stay silent.
“You can speak.” It was a witless thing to say, but he seemed incapable of anything else.
She paused only slightly in her work, glancing up at him and giving a brief nod to acknowledge it –but no more words. He struggled to find any himself.
“But...wherefore have you played at being mute these many days?”
She looked disconcerted at the question. “It is not play.” When he only blinked at her, she said simply, “When words are needed, I speak them.”
I don’t know if this is a weird reader tic, but my eyes tend to blur when I read books with lots of inner monologues and less dialogue. It’s, well, boring to me. There are, as always, exceptions to this rule but I found myself impatiently skimming pages to get to the next plot point.
In summary: I don’t want to dissuade you from picking this book up. It has fascinating world-building and I was intrigued by the political setting. It also felt more authentic than any of the other medievals I’ve read. I appreciated the importance of consent and the amount of agency that Nan wielded.
I really, really wanted to like this book but it just didn’t work out. I’d rather DNF it now than force myself to finish it and rate it 2 stars. But if none of the things I cited are your pet peeves, then there’s a chance that you may enjoy this book (you should read other reviews for a better summation of the premise).
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2019
Review written September 8, 2019
4 STARS - Tender medieval romance narrated by the very best voice in this HR genre
Hurray, I won a newly released audio book that I longed for. - Book #3 in the great Welsh Blades series. All audiobooks narrated by the fabulous Nicholas Boulton.
**********************************************
Desire Lines is truly a sweet, tender and very intense story as all Elizabeth Kingston’s historical’s. — Politics, low and high rank, a Welsh prince, noble titles and horrible tough times of war, fear, murder, death, violence, prostitution, a cold monastery, poverty, starvation and terrible abuse of men, women and children but also great honor, a beautiful young strong blonde girl, great feelings, grand love and something as exotic as hunting with falcons, very long ago set in King Edward’s old turbulent 13th century. — Just like a beautiful myth and saga.
... Add a MARVELOUS good audiobook narrator telling me this tale. Thank you!!
Highly recommend this great Welsh Blades series. This full length third part isn’t maybe the best (stand-alone) part but in all ways a very good read.
**********************************************
I LIKE - grand heart wrenching medieval love tales
4 STARS - Tender medieval romance narrated by the very best voice in this HR genre
Hurray, I won a newly released audio book that I longed for. - Book #3 in the great Welsh Blades series. All audiobooks narrated by the fabulous Nicholas Boulton.
”Hi Ingela! Behold your prize! The code for your free Audible US copy of Desire Lines is xxx.
Happy listening! // EK”
**********************************************
Desire Lines is truly a sweet, tender and very intense story as all Elizabeth Kingston’s historical’s. — Politics, low and high rank, a Welsh prince, noble titles and horrible tough times of war, fear, murder, death, violence, prostitution, a cold monastery, poverty, starvation and terrible abuse of men, women and children but also great honor, a beautiful young strong blonde girl, great feelings, grand love and something as exotic as hunting with falcons, very long ago set in King Edward’s old turbulent 13th century. — Just like a beautiful myth and saga.
... Add a MARVELOUS good audiobook narrator telling me this tale. Thank you!!
Highly recommend this great Welsh Blades series. This full length third part isn’t maybe the best (stand-alone) part but in all ways a very good read.
**********************************************
I LIKE - grand heart wrenching medieval love tales
February 15, 2019
Everything Kingston writes is an absolute TREAT. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this so I won't go into to much detail but Kingston nailed everything.
The character development in all of Kingston's stories is flawless. It's never "oh they meet and of course they're in love because they just are."
It's the build up of attraction.
It's the traveling with someone and getting to know who they are and their personality. (And as a reader we get to go on the same journey, and watch these characters navigate their feelings for one another.)
It's the heart ache she brings to the table that she does OH SO WELL.
It's the women looking out for each other and building one another up.
I don't feel like I'm doing this review justice.
Suffice to say, Kingston writes one hell of a romance and this one did not disappoint.
The character development in all of Kingston's stories is flawless. It's never "oh they meet and of course they're in love because they just are."
It's the build up of attraction.
It's the traveling with someone and getting to know who they are and their personality. (And as a reader we get to go on the same journey, and watch these characters navigate their feelings for one another.)
It's the heart ache she brings to the table that she does OH SO WELL.
It's the women looking out for each other and building one another up.
I don't feel like I'm doing this review justice.
Suffice to say, Kingston writes one hell of a romance and this one did not disappoint.
August 24, 2019
Where do I BEGIN with this book? Where?
I’ve listened to all of Elizabeth Kingston’s medieval historicals in the past, and her voice is so strong and unique I actually almost “heard” this book in my head in Nicholas Boulton’s resonant baritone. But that wasn’t why I absolutely adored it.
The lyrcicism of the writing. The uniqueness of both heroine and hero. This is a book that grabs you from the very first page (seriously. The first page is ASTONISHING. I’ve handed it to more than one person and said, “Just read it.” And it has universally grabbed that person by the throat and made them want to read more.
I honestly don’t want to go into too many specifics because so many details would be major or minor spoilers. Let it just be said that if you liked THE KING’S MAN and/or FAIR, BRIGHT, AND TERRIBLE, you will ADORE this book. It earned an immediate spot on my favorites shelf.
I was given an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve listened to all of Elizabeth Kingston’s medieval historicals in the past, and her voice is so strong and unique I actually almost “heard” this book in my head in Nicholas Boulton’s resonant baritone. But that wasn’t why I absolutely adored it.
The lyrcicism of the writing. The uniqueness of both heroine and hero. This is a book that grabs you from the very first page (seriously. The first page is ASTONISHING. I’ve handed it to more than one person and said, “Just read it.” And it has universally grabbed that person by the throat and made them want to read more.
I honestly don’t want to go into too many specifics because so many details would be major or minor spoilers. Let it just be said that if you liked THE KING’S MAN and/or FAIR, BRIGHT, AND TERRIBLE, you will ADORE this book. It earned an immediate spot on my favorites shelf.
I was given an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2025
It is a delight when I learn history alongside complex characters who bring the time period to life in a dynamic way.
It took some time for these characters to unfold as they have complex backstories and traumas. Watching Gryff and Nan find one another in such a tumultuous time in both their lives was beautiful and, at times, bittersweet.
After reading this story in particular, I now want to read more about Wales and this historical era. Some of my ancestry is Welsh (which I only just discovered in the last handful of years), and I am keen to learn more.
It took some time for these characters to unfold as they have complex backstories and traumas. Watching Gryff and Nan find one another in such a tumultuous time in both their lives was beautiful and, at times, bittersweet.
After reading this story in particular, I now want to read more about Wales and this historical era. Some of my ancestry is Welsh (which I only just discovered in the last handful of years), and I am keen to learn more.
November 3, 2021
5 (read: ALL THE) STARS!
Writing reviews for novels that ended up becoming incredibly special to you is a particular kind of torture. This is why I procrastinated for days before verbalising my thoughts on this book: my brain dissolves into a bunch of incoherent exclamations of appreciation when I think about 'Desire Lines'. I still don't quite know what to say about this book except that I LOVED LOVED LOVED it and that it's going straight to my keeper's shelf, so excuse the string of banalities that I'm about to write.
I started reading the third instalment in the Welsh Blades series fully expecting to enjoy it, but then my love for both main characters, Gryff and Nan, caught me completely off guard and I could barely put it down. I even tried to slow down my reading speed because I didn't want it to be over!
This love story reads like a cross between Arya x Gendry's dynamic from ASOIAF and a Cinderella retelling, so it's no wonder it became my favourite in the series so far. I have a particular weakness for secret identity plots, so I couldn't resist the story of a .
Kingston's storytelling is just as engrossing as in the previous two books in the series, but this one has the bonus of featuring the kind of perfectly paced road-trip romance/slow-burn I wanted for Gwenllian and Ranulf in book 1.
IMHO, EK's romance writing skills have consistently improved throughout the series: while I found myself wondering what exactly made book 1's couple love each other, here both MCs' motivations were explored at length. The plot as a whole struck me as more focused and less generic than in the previous two books, as if the author had finally found her footing with this novel.
The romance was developed organically and the fact that the author explored each MC's backstory before they became a couple helped to shape their romantic relationship into an exceptionally strong bond: nothing says wholehearted accpetance like staring at your lover's trauma in the face.
Gryff and Nan are two damaged souls, each with multiple skeletons in the closet, who find themselves thrown together by virtue of circumstance. Their jounrey from quiet admiration to partnership to love was nothing short of breathtaking.
There are multiple sources of conflict in this book, some personal and others external, and they all made sense and created delicious angst. I connected with both the hero and the heroine's personal struggles, and seeing them grapple with the old dychotomy of duty versus personal inclination kept me on the edge of my chair for the entire second half of the book.
And I've rarely read a more satisfying denoument for that particular conflict: an invitation to finding your own way towards happiness, even if it means stepping off the beaten track.
There were also some great cameos of beloved characters from the two previous books, and my personal favorite, Lady Eluned, proved once again that she's one of the best heroines in HR.
One can't help but applaud his author's ability to weave historically accurate medieval romances that never feel archaic. Her heroines are famously strong in multiple ways, and while they sometimes challenge gender roles, they thankfully never pull any anachronistic stunts.
Given the general trend in HR to write politically correct romances featuring 21st century sensiblities, a book in which the heroine faces up to the challenges presented by her time and age feels like a breath of fresh air!
Finally, Kingston's prose is just as spectacular as in the previous books in the series. For a book where the characters never explicitly say ILY to each other, it sure features some of the most romantic declarations of love I've ever read.
And now I'll just sit here waiting with bated breath for the fourth Welsh Blades book, hoping it will be about William because his character has grown on me!
Writing reviews for novels that ended up becoming incredibly special to you is a particular kind of torture. This is why I procrastinated for days before verbalising my thoughts on this book: my brain dissolves into a bunch of incoherent exclamations of appreciation when I think about 'Desire Lines'. I still don't quite know what to say about this book except that I LOVED LOVED LOVED it and that it's going straight to my keeper's shelf, so excuse the string of banalities that I'm about to write.
I started reading the third instalment in the Welsh Blades series fully expecting to enjoy it, but then my love for both main characters, Gryff and Nan, caught me completely off guard and I could barely put it down. I even tried to slow down my reading speed because I didn't want it to be over!
This love story reads like a cross between Arya x Gendry's dynamic from ASOIAF and a Cinderella retelling, so it's no wonder it became my favourite in the series so far. I have a particular weakness for secret identity plots, so I couldn't resist the story of a .
Kingston's storytelling is just as engrossing as in the previous two books in the series, but this one has the bonus of featuring the kind of perfectly paced road-trip romance/slow-burn I wanted for Gwenllian and Ranulf in book 1.
IMHO, EK's romance writing skills have consistently improved throughout the series: while I found myself wondering what exactly made book 1's couple love each other, here both MCs' motivations were explored at length. The plot as a whole struck me as more focused and less generic than in the previous two books, as if the author had finally found her footing with this novel.
The romance was developed organically and the fact that the author explored each MC's backstory before they became a couple helped to shape their romantic relationship into an exceptionally strong bond: nothing says wholehearted accpetance like staring at your lover's trauma in the face.
Gryff and Nan are two damaged souls, each with multiple skeletons in the closet, who find themselves thrown together by virtue of circumstance. Their jounrey from quiet admiration to partnership to love was nothing short of breathtaking.
There are multiple sources of conflict in this book, some personal and others external, and they all made sense and created delicious angst. I connected with both the hero and the heroine's personal struggles, and seeing them grapple with the old dychotomy of duty versus personal inclination kept me on the edge of my chair for the entire second half of the book.
And I've rarely read a more satisfying denoument for that particular conflict: an invitation to finding your own way towards happiness, even if it means stepping off the beaten track.
There were also some great cameos of beloved characters from the two previous books, and my personal favorite, Lady Eluned, proved once again that she's one of the best heroines in HR.
One can't help but applaud his author's ability to weave historically accurate medieval romances that never feel archaic. Her heroines are famously strong in multiple ways, and while they sometimes challenge gender roles, they thankfully never pull any anachronistic stunts.
Given the general trend in HR to write politically correct romances featuring 21st century sensiblities, a book in which the heroine faces up to the challenges presented by her time and age feels like a breath of fresh air!
Finally, Kingston's prose is just as spectacular as in the previous books in the series. For a book where the characters never explicitly say ILY to each other, it sure features some of the most romantic declarations of love I've ever read.
“Let him take my land. Let him take my power and my title and my name. Let him take all of it, every possession to the very clothes off my back – and at the end I will come to you on my knees, pitiful and powerless, just as you found me. And I will call him a fool for making so poor a trade, for before God I swear that you are a prize greater than any kingdom.”
And now I'll just sit here waiting with bated breath for the fourth Welsh Blades book, hoping it will be about William because his character has grown on me!
March 30, 2019
Another wonderful read from Elizabeth Kingston. I do love her Medievals especially, although they're not for the fainthearted. However, if you love realistic romance with a well-researched historical setting, and a story that will leave a lasting impression on you, I highly recommend Desire Lines.
This novel tells the story of Nan and Gryff. She's an enigmatic low-born young woman with deadly skill in knife-throwing, and he's a high-born Welshman who has lost everything. They meet on the road, after the outlaws who have taken Gryff prisoner attack a group of travelers. Their choice of victims was a big mistake for Nan is accompanying the travelers ... and she's not the sort of woman you want to mess with!
I really enjoyed the developing love story between Nan and Gryff. They are both damaged and flawed characters with dark pasts and a fear of trusting others. As such this is a slow-burn romance (my favorite!), and the building chemistry between the two of them is explosive. Nan is a fiercely strong, independent woman who hides crippling fears and insecurities, and Gryff who is both strong and sensitive is the perfect match for her.
The author really brings this period of British history to life. The oppression of the Welsh and the difficult lives of those not born into the wealthy classes is all drawn vividly here. It's a dark novel in many ways, which is what makes the romance shine all the more. The dark merely makes the light shine all the brighter when our lovers have their happy ending.
I do recommend reading Nan first though (which you can get by joining Kingston's mailing list), as it gives a full back-ground to Nan's complex and tortured character.
A great read!
This novel tells the story of Nan and Gryff. She's an enigmatic low-born young woman with deadly skill in knife-throwing, and he's a high-born Welshman who has lost everything. They meet on the road, after the outlaws who have taken Gryff prisoner attack a group of travelers. Their choice of victims was a big mistake for Nan is accompanying the travelers ... and she's not the sort of woman you want to mess with!
I really enjoyed the developing love story between Nan and Gryff. They are both damaged and flawed characters with dark pasts and a fear of trusting others. As such this is a slow-burn romance (my favorite!), and the building chemistry between the two of them is explosive. Nan is a fiercely strong, independent woman who hides crippling fears and insecurities, and Gryff who is both strong and sensitive is the perfect match for her.
The author really brings this period of British history to life. The oppression of the Welsh and the difficult lives of those not born into the wealthy classes is all drawn vividly here. It's a dark novel in many ways, which is what makes the romance shine all the more. The dark merely makes the light shine all the brighter when our lovers have their happy ending.
I do recommend reading Nan first though (which you can get by joining Kingston's mailing list), as it gives a full back-ground to Nan's complex and tortured character.
A great read!
September 26, 2024
"Friend: Are you finished with this book?
Me: Physically? Yes.
Me: Emotionally? Stares into distances Never…"
Me: Physically? Yes.
Me: Emotionally? Stares into distances Never…"
Read
March 25, 2022Review also published by The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: Not super hot. Not particularly cool either.
Character Chemistry: I’m given indicators that they complete each other, so I guess it must be so.
Plot: A journey home
Overall: Wasn’t convinced, but 180° + good writing = good read
I feel I should confess that the worst grade I ever got was on an English paper discussing motifs. It was Shakespeare, too, because of course it was. I still have absolutely no idea what I could have done differently to get a better grade, and that paper was a hard fail. Like, it was double digits, but not by a lot. It’s been almost 20 years and it still smarts. So this one’s for those of you who, like me, enjoy reading and do not enjoy technical analysis of books:
This book is fantastically well written. Kingston uses metaphors (and motifs, I’m sure…if I knew what those were from a literary standpoint) to great effect as she weaves a story rich with history.
From the beginning, I could tell the writing was great and the story pretty well researched. (I am not a medieval history buff, but I am pretty well acquainted with Norman Britain thanks to my podcast preferences.) ("The History of England Podcast" by David Crowther, if you’re interested. It’s delightful.) But I was not digging it. I was maybe 40% through my ARC when I stumbled upon an article on new romance coming out this spring. The author of this article, Maya Rodale, identified Desire Lines as one of only three recommended books and described this romance as magical (italics hers), and I was like, really? What am I missing? The first half of the book is basically a silent journey with flashbacks to Gryff’s youth for context. I was trying to think of how I would describe the character chemistry at this point and was toying with something like: “the main characters were pretty much moving silently parallel to each other page after page.” Things are developing, but not quickly and not in an obvious direction…
Let me provide some background. As I intimated above, the setting is medieval England and Wales. Nan and Gryff are our protagonists. We know that Gryff is the son of a Welsh noble, and if you know anything about medieval Britain, you know that, for Wales, the struggle is real. Therefore, at age 12, Gryff is given as hostage to King Edward I (really to another Norman lord) as a result of his father’s rebellion. He’s still a Welsh lordling living in the home of a Norman lord, but the Normans are not particularly kind to him, and he is never sure how he will be used by Edward. This fear leads him to run away from his “home” when Wales begins another open rebellion. He hides at a monastery until events unfold that result in him being tied to a tree, starving, cowering, watching as the men who kidnapped him are methodically dispatched by a tiny, beautiful, deadly woman. This is how we meet Nan, about whom we know almost nothing for multiple chapters. She doesn’t care to speak. But she takes care of Gryff and they journey along together. In fact, she is a commoner who serves the Lord and Lady of Welsh Blades book 1. She’s got goals. She’ll also wreck any man who tries to touch her. We wonder how exactly this romance is going to work.
What’s important is that Gryff’s Welsh homeland is famous for its falcons, and he is a trained falconer (if you don’t speak medieval, this is a big deal). Nan is extremely pragmatic and apt to wield her knives swiftly and well. They both have a lot of issues from their youths. This book is Angsty-with-a-capital-A.
I think the moment I knew this book was going to be literary work for me was only a handful of pages in when Gryff is first learning falconry and catches his falcon to train:
Flash forward to fierce Nan destroying a bunch of grown men bandits by herself, and if you didn’t get it from the quote above, you really need to get it now: Nan is a falcon. Gryff is a falconer. Hmm.
So there I was, aware that the writing was really something special, yet not enthusiastic about what I was actually reading. I didn’t know what to think about this bizarre mental juxtaposition. Maybe it is just that when writing a medieval setting, authors (including Kingston here) tend to favor a formal, somewhat detached writing style with slightly odd phrasing in dialog so we readers feel more removed from our own modern world. It makes sense because these people would have been speaking Middle English or Welsh, both of which would be pretty unintelligible to the average reader. But it does cause a certain detachment emotionally as well.
So what happened? About 50% of the way through the book, things really get going! Gryff finds an old friend, and at the same time Nan thinks she’s reached the end of her journey only to discover that what she thought was the end wasn’t what she thought at all. And when she realizes her journey is going to take her somewhere she hadn’t planned for, things get to the slightly detached medieval equivalent of sizzling. The book switched from a sort of “where is this going?” to a “how fast can we get there?” I’m not one for the angst, but this book was, if not magical-with-italics, then certainly marvelous-without-italics.
There are legitimate problems keeping these two apart from the beginning, so Nan’s pragmatism is perfectly suited to both the conflict and the period. Gryff transitions from a cowering wreck to a likeable, patient, imperfect hero. Gryff is great, but Nan is just awesome. Also imperfect. But her life is her own, she’s got friends in the right places and mad skills to keep it that way, and a romantic journey just makes her life better rather than fixing her problems or changing her. It’s marvelous.
I said at 40% I still wasn’t sure this book was going to pull through. At 50% things really got going. At 60%, Nan is trying to communicate her past and its resulting emotions to Gryff:
Whoa.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
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Heat Factor: Not super hot. Not particularly cool either.
Character Chemistry: I’m given indicators that they complete each other, so I guess it must be so.
Plot: A journey home
Overall: Wasn’t convinced, but 180° + good writing = good read
I feel I should confess that the worst grade I ever got was on an English paper discussing motifs. It was Shakespeare, too, because of course it was. I still have absolutely no idea what I could have done differently to get a better grade, and that paper was a hard fail. Like, it was double digits, but not by a lot. It’s been almost 20 years and it still smarts. So this one’s for those of you who, like me, enjoy reading and do not enjoy technical analysis of books:
This book is fantastically well written. Kingston uses metaphors (and motifs, I’m sure…if I knew what those were from a literary standpoint) to great effect as she weaves a story rich with history.
From the beginning, I could tell the writing was great and the story pretty well researched. (I am not a medieval history buff, but I am pretty well acquainted with Norman Britain thanks to my podcast preferences.) ("The History of England Podcast" by David Crowther, if you’re interested. It’s delightful.) But I was not digging it. I was maybe 40% through my ARC when I stumbled upon an article on new romance coming out this spring. The author of this article, Maya Rodale, identified Desire Lines as one of only three recommended books and described this romance as magical (italics hers), and I was like, really? What am I missing? The first half of the book is basically a silent journey with flashbacks to Gryff’s youth for context. I was trying to think of how I would describe the character chemistry at this point and was toying with something like: “the main characters were pretty much moving silently parallel to each other page after page.” Things are developing, but not quickly and not in an obvious direction…
Let me provide some background. As I intimated above, the setting is medieval England and Wales. Nan and Gryff are our protagonists. We know that Gryff is the son of a Welsh noble, and if you know anything about medieval Britain, you know that, for Wales, the struggle is real. Therefore, at age 12, Gryff is given as hostage to King Edward I (really to another Norman lord) as a result of his father’s rebellion. He’s still a Welsh lordling living in the home of a Norman lord, but the Normans are not particularly kind to him, and he is never sure how he will be used by Edward. This fear leads him to run away from his “home” when Wales begins another open rebellion. He hides at a monastery until events unfold that result in him being tied to a tree, starving, cowering, watching as the men who kidnapped him are methodically dispatched by a tiny, beautiful, deadly woman. This is how we meet Nan, about whom we know almost nothing for multiple chapters. She doesn’t care to speak. But she takes care of Gryff and they journey along together. In fact, she is a commoner who serves the Lord and Lady of Welsh Blades book 1. She’s got goals. She’ll also wreck any man who tries to touch her. We wonder how exactly this romance is going to work.
What’s important is that Gryff’s Welsh homeland is famous for its falcons, and he is a trained falconer (if you don’t speak medieval, this is a big deal). Nan is extremely pragmatic and apt to wield her knives swiftly and well. They both have a lot of issues from their youths. This book is Angsty-with-a-capital-A.
I think the moment I knew this book was going to be literary work for me was only a handful of pages in when Gryff is first learning falconry and catches his falcon to train:
“How long until she is tame?”
“You will both be trained, but [it] is only you who will be tamed, little fool….You could raise her from the egg and still she would not think you her master. Never will she truly need you. She will stay with you so long as it suits her. But she will never be tame.”
Flash forward to fierce Nan destroying a bunch of grown men bandits by herself, and if you didn’t get it from the quote above, you really need to get it now: Nan is a falcon. Gryff is a falconer. Hmm.
So there I was, aware that the writing was really something special, yet not enthusiastic about what I was actually reading. I didn’t know what to think about this bizarre mental juxtaposition. Maybe it is just that when writing a medieval setting, authors (including Kingston here) tend to favor a formal, somewhat detached writing style with slightly odd phrasing in dialog so we readers feel more removed from our own modern world. It makes sense because these people would have been speaking Middle English or Welsh, both of which would be pretty unintelligible to the average reader. But it does cause a certain detachment emotionally as well.
So what happened? About 50% of the way through the book, things really get going! Gryff finds an old friend, and at the same time Nan thinks she’s reached the end of her journey only to discover that what she thought was the end wasn’t what she thought at all. And when she realizes her journey is going to take her somewhere she hadn’t planned for, things get to the slightly detached medieval equivalent of sizzling. The book switched from a sort of “where is this going?” to a “how fast can we get there?” I’m not one for the angst, but this book was, if not magical-with-italics, then certainly marvelous-without-italics.
There are legitimate problems keeping these two apart from the beginning, so Nan’s pragmatism is perfectly suited to both the conflict and the period. Gryff transitions from a cowering wreck to a likeable, patient, imperfect hero. Gryff is great, but Nan is just awesome. Also imperfect. But her life is her own, she’s got friends in the right places and mad skills to keep it that way, and a romantic journey just makes her life better rather than fixing her problems or changing her. It’s marvelous.
I said at 40% I still wasn’t sure this book was going to pull through. At 50% things really got going. At 60%, Nan is trying to communicate her past and its resulting emotions to Gryff:
“There is enough hate in my heart to burn down the world entire.” Her voice shook, her throat ached from the effort required to to scream it. She looked at his profile and gathered the rough fabric of her dress tight into her fists until her fingers grew numb. “But you are in the world,” she said. “You are in my heart.”
Whoa.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
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January 24, 2021
Desire Lines é um livro muito lindo e escrito com elegância. Cuida-se de um romance medieval narrado no período em que o País de Gales foi oprimido e dominado pela Inglaterra. Nesse contexto, o herói, Gryff, tem a sua vida salva por uma mistoriosa e espetacular mulher, simplesmente conhecida por Nan. Ela o encontra em condições precaríssimas, meio morto de fome, mas isso não impede que uma linha tênue de atração se forme entre eles.♥️ Com isso, eles iniciam uma jornada e, aos poucos, são revelados detalhes da vida de cada um, inclusive fatos pretéritos que conduziram essas jovens vidas a um destino solitário, sofrido, marcado por perdas. Gryff é um homem carismático, são muitas as suas qualidades, porém Nan se destaca tanto pela complexidade do seu caráter, quanto pelo seu inusual estilo de vida. A bela e pequena Nan é mortífera, ábil na autodefesa e muito leal aos seus princípios. Eu amei a forma como o amor vai enredando Gryff e Nan, slow burn, com sensualidade e concretude. Além disso, o final guarda revelações verdadeiramente surpreendentes que irão definir o destino dos protagonistas, especialmente de Gryff! Trecho: ⏸Deixe-o tomar minhas terras. Que ele tome meu poder, meu título e meu nome. Deixe que ele tome tudo, cada posse até as roupas que eu tenho - e no final eu irei até você de joelhos, lamentável e impotente, assim como você me encontrou. E vou chamá-lo de tolo por fazer uma troca tão pobre, pois diante de Deus eu juro que você é um prêmio maior do que qualquer reino.⏸ Recomendo muito!💗💗💗💗💗
February 19, 2025
I am astounded. The setup for Desire Lines started a little on the slower side, with timelines alternating between 1288 and Gryff's youth starting in 1277. I was curious about his past as a Welsh aristocrat learning to be Norman, but more invested in Nan and whatever was causing Gryff to flee in the current timeline and the potential courtly intrigues as it relatedto the rest of the series. But all of a sudden, somewhere in the middle of the story, I realized I was deeply invested in their romance.
Nan is silent. So silent, Gryff wonders if she is mute. Rather, she chooses her words and moments for words wisely. Gryff is on the run, posing as a falconer - one of the most esteemed servants on a castle staff - with two birds. His favorite childhood memory is of the summer he was allowed to train his own gyrfalcon, as a respite from other duties as a welsh lord's son. (It's no real respite - training the falcons is one of the most difficult tasks and requires sleepless nights.) Nan is fierce - but she's that way because she's been trained by Gwenllian and Eluned, and protected and raised by many fierce women before her, something that Nan never forgets. They are an unlikely pair, but their falling for one another on their journey together feels inevitable and almost easy compared to the barriers they need to overcome.
Another excellent read from Elizabeth Kingston, worth some of the manufactured HEA for Wales in the dark historical moments of its fall.
Nan is silent. So silent, Gryff wonders if she is mute. Rather, she chooses her words and moments for words wisely. Gryff is on the run, posing as a falconer - one of the most esteemed servants on a castle staff - with two birds. His favorite childhood memory is of the summer he was allowed to train his own gyrfalcon, as a respite from other duties as a welsh lord's son. (It's no real respite - training the falcons is one of the most difficult tasks and requires sleepless nights.) Nan is fierce - but she's that way because she's been trained by Gwenllian and Eluned, and protected and raised by many fierce women before her, something that Nan never forgets. They are an unlikely pair, but their falling for one another on their journey together feels inevitable and almost easy compared to the barriers they need to overcome.
Another excellent read from Elizabeth Kingston, worth some of the manufactured HEA for Wales in the dark historical moments of its fall.
April 26, 2020
Elizabeth Kingston writes historical fiction/romance that stays true to the time period. She manages to capture the mentality and emotions that seem genuine to the characters time and place. I find too many historical fiction authors cheapen there stories by writing heroines with an ill-placed world view. Her writing shows a depth of character development that I so appreciate. I can't wait to read more from this author. Exceptional work, Elizabeth Kingston!
From this Welsh Blades series, the first book is still my favorite but I love both Nan and Gryff plus there story.
From this Welsh Blades series, the first book is still my favorite but I love both Nan and Gryff plus there story.
October 15, 2024
4.5 stars. Loved how the title concept was woven in.
Want to read
February 1, 2019pre-ordered from Amazon
August 7, 2024
Really enjoyed this book and story. I wish there had been an epilogue though as it ended in a way that felt too long in coming and then too brief.
Loved both the main characters who had good depth.
Loved both the main characters who had good depth.
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