The Warrior Knight and the Widow

The House of Leofric #1

by Ella Matthews

Protected by The Beast

undone by the Man!

Racing cross-country pursued by danger, widow Lady Ellena Swein isn t best pleased to be taken back to her father s castle. But with his knight The Beast Sir Braeden Leofric as her captor, she has little choice! Ellena is surprised by his honour and protective nature, even if she shouldn t trust him. When all conspires against them, Braeden s secret could either extinguish the spark between them or make it burn brighter

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Medieval, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Adult

368 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2020

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what I needed to lose myself in for a few hours whilst everything in the world continues to go down the toilet. I’ll come up with a proper review when my brain is in gear, but in the meantime if you fancy a well-written Beauty and the Beast themed historical romance featuring a feisty independent woman and a brooding scarred hero, then this is one for you.

You can growl all you like but you don’t scare me.”

Copy received courtesy of Mills & Boon via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 - The Beast Stars!

I am a sucker for any type of Beauty and the Beast retelling, and although loose in the tropes used Ellena and Braeden’s story was similar enough to leave me smiling.

Pitch a strong willed female not looking to be subservient anymore, in a male dominated world, against a scarred-alpha knight, protector, and absolute sweetheart, and you get sparks, fiery conversation and smouldering attraction. This couple’s story kept me entertained, engrossed and I loved them more, the further I read.

This is the second Mills & Boon~ Historical, I have read this week, and although not normally a genre I dive into with any regularity I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality, and escapism both books I have read offered. I definitely will be taking more time to immerse myself in this genre going forwards.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

[Yukino · Rating 3 out of 5]

SERIE THE HOUSE OF LEOFRIC vol. 1

L'avevo messo in wl, perchè, ormai lo sapete, tutto ciò che può anche lontanamente riproporre la storia della Bella e la Bestia, lo devo assolutamente leggere.
Così quando l'ho visto in offerta non c'ho pensato due volte e l'ho preso.

E' ambientato in Inghilterra, ma questa volta siamo in pieno Medioevo, con castelli, feudi e lotte per le terre.

Sir Braedan Leofirc, soprannominato la Bestia, è al servizio di Lord Ogmor, che gli ordina di andare a prendere sua figlia Ellena. Era sposata con uno molto più anziano di lei e ormai vedova, è assediata dai proprietari terrieri vicini, che mirano alle sue terre. Così suo padre, sia per difenderla sia per farla sposare con uno suo prescelto, in modo da poter ampliare le proprietà, manda appunto i cavalieri al suo servizio per riportarla a casa sana e salva.
Il più feroce di tutti e acerrimo nemico di Lord Ogmor è Sir Copsi, che vuole rapire Ellena e sposarla.
E sarà lui il "cattivo" della storia.

Mi ha un pò deluoso. Mi aspettavo di vedere la trasformazione del loro rapporto, da conflittuale all'innamoramento. E invece il libro inizia già con i primi sguardi languidi dove lei pensa che ci sia qualcosa di più in lui, e viceversa.

Peccato, perchè i personaggi avevano tutte le carte in regola per avere un pò di spessore dato il loro passato. Ma tutto è affrontato con leggerezza.
Lo so che è un Harmony e non mi devo aspettare l'introspezione psicologica, ma un minimo si, giusto per farmi entrare in sintonia con i personaggi.
Però non mi è dispiaciuto. Ci sono momenti divertenti e altri molto teneri. La loro fuga iniziale da Copsi ha dato un pò di brio alla storia, e anche la vita nel castello mi ha interessato. Anche qui però non aspettatevi dettagli storici rilevanti.

Tutto sommato godibile. Tre stelle, non di più. forse sono stata anche buona. Ma alla fine si lascia leggere.

Ho scoperto, dopo avelro acquistato, che è il primo di una serie, e ho già capito chi sarà la prossima coppia. Non è ancora uscito in Italia, per cui ho tutto il tempo di decidere.
Magari gli do una seconda possibilità. Vedremo

[🐝 Shaz 🐝 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice story. Scared knight escorts earl’s widowed daughter, back to her parents . They encounter lots of obstacles on the way. 4.5 stars

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good paced story with plenty of action, some dangerous, tense events and moments of passion. The two main characters were very likeable. Lady Ellena Swein was a determined lady, who having suffered through her first marriage, had no intention of marrying again. Sir Braedan Leofric, was an honourable man, who was trying to help his family from their situation. He had battle scars on his face that earned him the name of The Beast. Travelling together, they found they were attracted to each other but each had their own plans. I loved the way Breadan was so caring of Ellena, given her past experiences. This is just the type of story to whisk you away from the present situation. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travel back to the times when there were castles and knights, when travel was on foot, by horse or horse drawn carriage and when the Lord ruled their lands in this action packed historical romance! Sir Braedan Leofric has been sent to bring Lady Ellena Swein, the widowed daughter of his Lord, back to her father. However, there are others who wish to marry her to gain the lands she now controls and they're not above using force or kidnapping her to get their way! On a long journey fraught with danger, will Braedan be able to keep her safe and deliver her to her father? How will she react when she discovers his promised reward for doing so?

This is an enthralling read with a feisty lady determined never to let a man control her again and a man nicknamed the Beast who is actually honourable and protective. It is a lovely read to escape into with great characters, plenty of action and a slow burn but potentially passionate romance. Her first marriage sounds like an abusive nightmare but she's made a much better life for herself now and really doesn't like her father interfering. She's adamant she'll never marry again but that's before she got to know Braedan . . . . He doesn't think he has the status to ever be good enough for a lady like Ellena but his attraction to her continues to grown as they travel on their dangerous journey. There are secrets shared, obstacles to be overcome, fights to be fought and enemies to be killed before this romance concludes with an amazing epilogue. It is a lovely story to read if you're wanting to be distracted from our current reality and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys reading historical romance.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Lady Swein is successfully running her castle, the only problem is now that her husband had died her father is demanding she go back to his castle to remarry. So far no one has been successful at getting her to return until The Beast convinces her that she can bargain with her father for her freedom. What The Beast doesn't tell her is of his ultimate betrayal.

This book is absolutely delicious! The plot is really good and the execution is fabulous. Matthews takes us on a journey that is filled with thrills and adventure from start to finish. The chemistry between Lady Swein and The Beast is hot and thick. Their relationship is a juicy whirlwind of emotions. It's dramatic and will make your heart race with hope and expectation.

The first couple days I started this book I barely had a chance to read it, then on the third day I completely devoured just under 300 pages. Putting it down was torture! It was so engaging and exciting I couldn't help but just get completely lost in it.

This is the perfect guilty pleasure read. It has all the drama and steaminess to satisfy any lover of smutty romance. I loved it!

Https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com

[Vonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to see a debut HQ Historical Author come out the gate with a fairly decent couple and story. Unfortunately, wow, this felt similar to another medieval HQ Romance I read a few months back. When it got down to the eventual closing in on the HEA...I felt like I had read this book before but realized I couldn't have because this just came out for the month of April. But what was similar is how the tables got turned on the female MC, Ellena, at least this time there was no 2nd forced marriage of convenience and the male MC, Braedan, attempting to cow-tie his new, rambunctious wife...after lying to her for over half the book. Same situation here.

Braedan goes to "escort" a King's daughter, Ellena - The King having forced his offspring into marriage with an abusive septuagenarian - her husband dies, making her a Widow. And now her father...The King/the male MC's liege...sends him on a Quest he knows he won't come back empty-handed from. He's forced to escort her back to her father and then from there, the King will, once again, marry her off to an unknown man. She wanted to stay back at her husband's estate/castle because he had been a terrible landowner, rather cutthroat and violent to his own people, but once he was dead, she turned that entire land around and was actually making profits.

The King had already sent two prior envoys with escorts to bring her back home, but she had always managed to finagle a way around and got them to leave without her. But this time Braedan was The King's best soldier...and he was bound and determined to not leave without Ellena in his keeping. He was battle-scarred and weary, exhausted from a general melee of routine life and unsure what to do with himself once he does bring her back. Braedan lied to her face in order to get her to come with him...and it bites him in the ass at the end, toward the HEA.

It was The King's plan all along to, yes, give Ellena's husband's old castle to Sir Braedan, but then to also offer him up to Ellena as her next husband. By the time Ellena learns of the lie, things have gone too far between them, so it's murky whether she can trust he genuinely loves her or is he just complying with His Liege and agreeing to take ownership of the castle and then marry Ellena. There is a decent discussion of truths eventually but not before miscommunication brings around some dramatic moments.

There is a running Villain who seems to have this "need" to not only chase after Ellena throughout the book but kidnap her and force her to marry him. A good majority of the book is simply Braedan and Elleena being a two-person esort...like forced proximity and also pretending to be "husband & wife" whenever they stop at inns and such. This bad guy has lands or a large estate that borders The King so, he keeps popping in and out. Especially when Braedan is simply trying to escort Ellena back to her childhood home.

There is a small trigger warning for much of the marriage Ellena had with her much-older husband. It ranged from sexual assault to abuse...to even locking her in a room without food or water. So, yeah...she will flashback to these terrible moments as it sours her for future relationships with men. Especially huge brutish-looking men like Braedan

For a first novel, it was really decent which is why I gave it the rating I did.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second historical romance book I’ve read and I’m starting to love the genre more and more.
I LOVED this book. It had excellent writing, a great plot, wonderful characters and a beautiful ending. There was a lot of chemistry between the two characters but not a lot of x-rated scenes however this wasn’t a downside-the script worked perfectly for the story. I also loved how we didn’t have to wait long in the story to see if our noble lady would feel for the knight, and once we found out she did the story built and built with no dips in plot - it just kept going right through to a strong ending.
Only thing I could have asked for more was more pages because I loved it so much!

[Daniela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una lettura d'evasione, giusto per decomprimere un po'. Senza infamia e senza lode

[Jane Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book I needed to bring me out of the reading slump and put me in a good mood. This romance was well written, full of action, romance and sexy scenes, as well as loads of angst. The pacing was a bit uneven and found myself towards the end skimming a bit - I think it needed to be a bit shorter in my opinion and the ending was a bit tooooo dragged out. I could see where it was heading from miles away.

Overall, a good read.


Thank you to the publishers via Netgalley for a copy of this book!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light read. Lots of action and adventure as well as romance (it took surprisingly long for them to even kiss), but a lot of telling, not showing, which was a bit frustrating. I felt like things were being explained to me rather than me figuring it out on my own.

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

💫The Warrior Knight and the Widow💫
By Ella Matthews
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Protected by The Beast
Undone by the man
Racing cross-country pursued by danger, widow Lady Ellena Swein isn’t pleased to be taken back to
her father’s castle. But with his knight Sir Braedan Leofric, also known as The Beast, as her captor,
she has little choice! Ellena is surprised by his honourable and protective nature, even if she
shouldn’t trust him. And when all seems to conspire against them, Braedan’s secret could either
extinguish the spark between them or make it burn brighter.

My Review

Will their different agendas and past tear them apart ...

While I am mostly a reader of mostly Regency /Victorian set romances, I am slowly reading more and more medieval stories.
Those times were much more violent with characters facing such harsh hardships.
Ellena and Braeden are no stranger to betrayal and pain.
Ellena thought that while doing her duty for her family, she would if not love her husband, get his respect. But while he presented him as a nice enough man, he was hiding the monster lurking inside him. Something she learned the brutal way.
But she didn’t let it destroy her, while she became wary of men, she did her best to improve her new home’s affairs.
Braeden paid a heavy tribute to his father’s treason, loosing everything with it, having to rebuilt his family’s name from ash. And while he will never be able to restore it to its previous status, he wants a brighter future for his sisters. But he never expected he will have to choose between love and family.
Why both have their own reasons to be cautious around the other. And when he only shows kindness and respect to Ellena, he also withholds his own gain in this journey.
Ellena suspects the why of this travel, and even if she is prepared to fight the outcome, she didn’t expected to be awakened to passion during their escape against a determined enemy.

A 5 stars read of trusting and having faith in the other.
I was granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Purchase Links

https://tinyurl.com/u57z936

Author Bio

Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about
handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children
(probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else).

Social Media Links

Twitter : @ellamattauthor
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/ellamattauthor/


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[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella Matthews’ excellent debut, ‘The Warrior Knight and The Widow’ sees Lady Ellena Swaine escorted on a perilous journey back to her father’s home in the company of her assigned protector, Braedan, who, despite his reputation as ‘The Beast’, gives Ellena food for thought in her assertion that she will not marry again.
In Ellena and Braedan, the author has created two excellent, likeable and well matched characters who work well together within the context of the story and soon find themselves forming a connection amidst a brooding backdrop where danger is never far away, and the villainous Lord Copsi threatens all Braedan holds dear. From the outset, Braedan is presented as a formidable knight, focussed on his job, but the author’s skilled writing style soon alerts the reader to the ‘real’ Braedan who few people see, and this only adds to his appeal as the hero of the story, and the reader is soon intrigued and wants to know more. Similarly, it is clear that Ellena is quite headstrong and used to being independent, and the fact that she is prepared to stand up to Braedan says a lot about her character. Indeed, the two spark off each other well, and the reader is soon enthralled in their attempts to convince each other they are in the right. Whilst the circumstances of the story force the two together, these early scenes show that they work well together and can go on to forge a strong partnership as the plot progresses.
As their journey hits difficulties, the prevailing sense of danger shows just how far Braedan will go to protect Ellena, and the well written scenes as the threats to Ellena’s wellbeing intensify provide a vivid narrative to the reader where you almost feel you are in the forest watching the action first-hand. Furthermore, the twists and turns of the plot allow Braedan and Ellena to reveal a lot about each other, and you really do root for them to overcome the obstacles before them as they form a deeper bond. The writing of the moments where Braedan struggles with his conscience and tries not to fall in love with Ellena must be praised, and, if anything, only add to the connection the reader makes with the character.
In a neat twist to the plot, the fact that Ellena remains in danger once the party returns to Ogmore provides a clever plot device to further enhance Braedan’s story, and it is this section, as the plot shifts towards its conclusion, that gives Braedan and Ellena the opportunity to think about what they really want for themselves. Lord Copsi proves himself an excellent villain throughout, and, thanks to the author’s skilled plotting, the strong ending to this section of the story means that the reader still has to wait to see what will become of Braedan and Ellena’s budding romance.
Without spoiling the ending, the surprising revelations of the closing chapters seem fitting of the characters and the reader should feel both happy and emotional by the closing page. This is a well written, excellent debut from Ella Matthews which I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical romance can be a hard thing to pull off, requiring strong characters, knowledge of the time, and a plot which allows for suspense and revelation. This novel manages to combine all those elements very well; although the date is a little imprecise, the nature of medieval power struggles and the countryside is well done. Ellena is a strong heroine, full of passion, courage and determination. Sir Braedon Leofric, known as the Beast, is an impressive knight physically and in ability. The countryside is full of woods and forests, the accommodation consistent, and the tracks well described. The plot, a perilous journey with a cunning and dangerous pursuit, is strong and allows for suitable suspense. This well researched novel is a really effective read, with a strong female lead who shows great determination on many levels. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this engaging novel.

As the novel begins, the Lady Ellena Swein is unhappy at being prised out of her late husband’s castle by a troop of warriors led by Braedan, an experienced and able knight from her father’s castle. She had hated her late husband for his brutality to her and his inability to run his strategically important castle and estates; since his death she has been grateful for her freedom and proved herself an able administrator and manager. Her father has been demanding that she return to his castle, however, so that he may marry her off to another politically significant associate. He has promised Braedan a generous reward for his service in retrieving his daughter safely.

Unfortunately for the travellers, there is an enemy, Copsi, who is keen to capture Ellena and force her into marriage to gain not only her as a woman but also claim her lands and estate for himself. Thus he and his men pursue the party of warriors, and threaten to kill all her defenders. As Ellena and Braedan seek to evade their pursuers and reach the safety of her father’s castle, they must depend on each other in every respect. However, they each realise that even if they achieve their objective, they will still be subject to Ogmore’s, Ellena’s father’s, will for their lives. As they each have their own ambitions and determination, any attraction between them must be impossible, and any scandal disastrous.

This book is quite a simple story, but it is well handled by a skilful writer and is very engaging. Their physical danger is well described, and there are some hot pursuits and narrow escapes. This is a book of romance in every sense, and makes the most of featuring attractive characters. I really enjoyed it as an escapist read, well paced and robustly written. There is an element of historical fantasy here, but it is solidly expressed in terms of place, behaviour and personality. I enjoyed the vivid writing and consistent characters, and recommend it as a really good escape or distracting read.

[Caitlyn Lynch]

Medieval romance is an under-served genre, and one I thoroughly enjoy, so I opened this new one with a pleasurable sense of anticipation. And a lot of things in it are well-done; Ellena’s travelling back to her father’s home under the guard of his most trusted warrior, Braeden, after being widowed leaves her a wealthy marriage prize, and the sparks flying between the two make this a very believable relationship. Ellena’s frustration with being treated only as a commodity was tangible and her rage with a persistent (and dangerous) suitor entirely justified.

Where this story fell down for me was the extreme vagueness of it all. When, exactly, was this supposed to be set? And where? ‘The king’ is mentioned, but there’s no identification beyond that, which means I couldn’t even pin it down to a century. And I’m also pretty sure there weren’t any earls in England at ANY point (where I THINK this is supposed to be set) where it took more than ten days on horseback to travel from one end of their lands to another. Plus, the concept of Ellena being ‘compromised’ to the point where she’d have to marry Braeden after spending a few days alone with him was so nonsensical I laughed. That’s a Regency/Victorian era concept, and when the author had spent so much of the book building up that at least one man was desperate to marry Ellena because of the property he’d gain as a consequence it made no sense whatsoever. A soldier of Braeden’s rank might as well have been a guard dog for all the consideration a high-ranking, power-hungry lord would have given his being alone with Ellena - who was a widow, with no virginity to prize.

I felt a little too much emphasis was placed on the marital abuse Ellena suffered at the hands of her first husband, to the extent that it needs a significant trigger warning. It’s brought up repeatedly in more detail than I really felt comfortable with, and then she just kind of… forgets about it when Braeden kisses her a few times? That’s really not how this works.

Honestly I think there’s a good story in here, but it needed a stern editor to pin the author down to a specific time period and place and then to cut the anachronisms which had crept in. At the moment this honestly reads more like a Fantasyland Romance than a real medieval romance, and that’s a shame, because I did like Ellena and Braeden and wanted to buy into their relationship.

I’m going to give this three stars. I’d read more by this author, but I’d hope they pinned their time period down a whole lot more specifically and stuck to it.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via Rachel’s Random Resources.

[Jéssica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read Historical Romances before, but I have never read that many Medieval ones, so I'm always fascinated about the different subgenres and the way the story is told because of how the past is portrait. This book is in that subgenre, and the first I have read of this author.

As we follow Lady Ellena Swein's and Sir Braedan Leofric's story through a brilliantly crafted journey that was as exciting, as it was romantic, I ended up falling in love with the characters. Ellena quite a strong and independent woman, which is amazing because I lover powerful female characters. Braedan is not what we think he is, despite his nick name being The Beast.

This adventure had a good pace and a good plot, that made it so fun to read. From the descriptions to the dialogues. From all the complex characters that made us connect with the storyline, despite the space and time being very different from our lives.

I loved the book. I loved every moment between Ellena and Braedan, I loved them together because they were meant for each other and I could see it from the very beginning and seeing them grow closer and getting to learn more about each other... those were the best parts of the book. I loved that I was so focus in the story that I could feel the characters emotion and I felt I was transported there.

Overall, I felt very excited about reading another medieval romance novel and expand my knowledge and I was not disappointed. I loved it and I can't for more books in this subgenre. I learn something, I was transported to a time I don't know much about to be honest, and still I felt the love, the excitement, the action, the drama and some sort of friendship towards them.

[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Ella Matthews for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]

[Eclectic Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never turn down the opportunity to read a Mills and Boon book, so I was looking forward to a historical romance written by an author I hadn’t read yet. Of course, the whole scarred hero thing is one of my favorites as well.

Lady Ellena Swein was perfectly fine staying at Castle Swein and running her home. She had been doing it ever since her vile and abusive husband had gotten sick and died. But her father, the Earl of Ogmore, insists she return home because her life is in danger and he wants to marry her off again. Never again will she marry and she is going back to tell her father. Not that she has a choice because of her father’s right-hand man, Sir Braedon Leofric, The Beast. He’s a formidable, stubborn, honorable, and, must-she-say-it, attractive man who is full of scars…and surprises. He protects her with his life and his rare smile and his touch make her stomach do funny things. She, a widow, never had these kinds of feelings before. Her husband was a nasty man who beat, raped and starved her because she could not produce an heir.

When Lord Copsi, her father’s enemy, sends his men to kidnap her by any means possible, Ellena and Braedan are separated from his men and have to find their way to Castle Ogmore by themselves. Posing as a married couple, they get to know one another personally and find an unexpected attraction. But Braedan has a secret that he is sure will destroy Ellena’s trust in him.

Ellena and Braedan’s story is rocky and full of roadblocks, but there are some unlikely people close to them who support their growing attraction. The story is about not judging a book by its cover, trusting in yourself, and taking responsibility for your actions. It is full of angst, humor, and passion. Prepare to be romanced by another great author who is going on my favorites list.

Thank you to Ms. Matthews for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Warrior Knight and the Widow is author Ella Matthews debut novel. It was an excellent story and one I thoroughly enjoyed! I look forward to seeing what Ms. Matthews has for us in the future, she’s definitely an author I plan on following!

Sir Braedan Leofric is known as “The Beast” and the right-hand man to the Earl of Ogmore. His latest mission is to retrieve his liege’s only daughter and return her to her father’s estate. But returning safely will be more difficult than he thought when the Earl’s sworn enemy is determined to capture and marry Lady Ellena.

Lady Ellena Swein was married once before and it was a nightmare. She has no desire to remarry especially to her father’s sworn enemy Lord Copsi. When Lord Copsi’s men attack the traveling party, Braeden & Ellena are left on their own to make their way back to her father’s castle.

Braeden was such a wonderful hero! He is a brave and honorable man who just wants to repair the damage his father did to his family’s good name and fortune. While traveling with Lady Ellena he tries to ignore the attraction he has for her, knowing he can never be good enough for her. I really liked Ellena, she’s kind-hearted, passionate, and just wants to live her life on her own terms. After her disastrous marriage, she has no desire to be with another man, but yet finds herself attracted to Braeden. Together as these two try to escape the enemy and return to Castle Ogmore, we see them form a friendship and struggle to deny the chemistry between them.

What a fabulous couple and storyline! Ms. Matthews did a wonderful job in this her debut novel. I have to admit, once I picked up this book I didn’t want to put it down! An extremely well-written book with a fabulous couple, wonderful secondary characters, a storyline that captivates and pulls you in and an absolutely perfect ending! I loved this book and highly recommend it!

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite her objection, newly widowed, Lady Ellena Swein is being escorted back to her father's castle. Sir Braedan Leofric's, reputation as a dangerous warrior goes before him, nicknamed 'The Beast', he has been charged with delivering Lady Swein back into her father's safekeeping, however, the road back to Ogmore Castle is fraught with danger, a danger which will test both Ellena and Braedan to their absolute limit of endurance.

What then follows is an entertaining historical romp which has all the necessary ingredients for a lively medieval adventure. There's danger aplenty for Ellena as she is pursued across country, and Braedan has to keep his considerable wits about him in order to keep them both safe from those dastardly enemies who seek to do them harm.

This is the author's debut historical romance/adventure and I feel that she has the balance between excitement, danger and passion absolutely spot on. There's an authentic historical feel to the story and more than enough thrills and spills to keep you turning the pages. Of course, there is also the added attraction of a passionate romance and The Warrior Knight and the Widow certainly sizzles with an undercurrent of forbidden and illicit attraction between the high born lady and the fierce-some warrior, with his hidden heart of gold.

I enjoyed getting to know both of these characters who each have their own faults and failings but when up against the worst that can happen both Ellena and Braedan prove themselves to be strong and forceful personalities.

In this current troubling time, I need to read stories which take me to anther time and place, and I found so much to enjoy in reading The Warrior Knight and the Widow that I read the whole book in one delightful sitting.

[MrsMascara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Ellena Swein is regretting agreeing to travel to her father’s manor with Sir Braeden Leofric, her fathers warrior knight and right hand man. After suffering a marriage to a cruel and abusive husband, she is managing her demense and the people who rely on her very well, nd she is determined not to marry again. She wants to be left alone, but her father is keen to marry her off agin. He has sent his chief knight Braeden to bring her to him, and he has finally convinced Ellena to accompany him to argue her case with her father in person. Her father’s neighbour and rival is keen to abduct Ellena and marry her to gain control of Swein Manor, what he and Ellena don’t know it that her father has promised the manor to Braeden if he retrieves Ellena safely..

As Braeden and Ellena travel, Ellena regrets her decision to travel more and more, and they both want to be in charge, so they clash repeatedly. Braeden is attracted to Ellena but he feels his landless status and his traitorous father, mean he is below her and they cannot have a future together, he is also reluctant to tell Ellena about her father’s promise to him. As Braeden and his troops protect Ellena from one ambush after another,she and Braeden are first separated from their travel companions, and they succumb to their attraction.

When Ellena is back with her father, how will she cope with his machinations, and how will she feel about Braeden when she realises he has kept such an important and critical piece of information from her, will she be able to understand, and can they ever be together.

Enjoyable story with believable characters and an exciting plot.

Recommended

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

[Bookaholic F · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and well written historical romance that made me forget reality
I have to be honest, I am still having a hard time by recovering for the loss of my dad but I do know the best medicine for me is a good book.

This one is just a nice medieval romance about a strong and determined woman and a knight with scars in his face and heart.
When Lady Ellena Swein has to leave her castle to go to Ogmore to visit her father she is far from happy. After she has find some peace as a widow and she is managing finally her life and castle she now has to return to probably got married again. So she is going to tell him she is perfectly at her one but her faith is very different then unexpected. Sir Braedan his task is to get her at the castle and he will be rewarded for that. The Beast, his nickname, because he has scars in his face, will be her guide but when the enemy Copsi appears Ellena and Braedan have to go through as a married couple. Separated from the others they just can trust each other. Ellena will never have a man again because after her bad husband it is better to be alone. But why is this guy so attractive? The knight has a secret he can't tell Ellena but he also is attracted to this independent woman. What will the future bring to this unusual team?

If you love to dream away with some historical fiction, this romance is a perfect book for you. The story is not complex, it is just an engrossing romance and sometimes that just is what I need. I never thought I liked medieval romances but I have to change my mind and will read some more books of this type of novels.

****

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still whirling from this book. Ella Matthews has climbed up to the top of my favorite authors list with her historical romance. ⠀
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At first glance, I was struck by how familiar this book felt to another favorite historical romance of mine. Headstrong female, male soldier who thinks he's right all the time. I can't help it . . . this is one of my favorite tropes. ⠀
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Ellena is a widow, basically on the run back to her father's castle. She's being escorted by Sir Braedan, her father's best warrior. Running from an evil madman, basically, and trying to forget her marriage to a violent old bastard. ⠀
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The majority of this book is about their journey back to her father's castle, and then her trying to persuade her father to let her keep the castle she inherited from her late husband. Of course, this is during a time when women didn't live alone. They didn't run households (at least, they didn't get the credit). ⠀
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I loved the sparks between Ellena and Braeden. The stubbornness and then later, the romantic tension, is written so well! Even though we know right from the beginning that Ellena's father plans for her to remarry, I spent most of the book hoping she would end up with Braedan. ⠀
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And then, when everything lines up at the end and plots are revealed, it wrapped the book up perfectly. I was in tears at multiple points toward the end of the book. ⠀
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I am eagerly waiting for November and the second book in this series! ⠀
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Checking off the letter W for the #2020AtoZReadingChallenge.
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[Cheryl M-M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sir Braedan Leofric, also known as the Beast, has been sent to escort Lady Ellena Swein back to her father. Her life and her honour are at risk. She has become the target for certain individuals who either want her dead or want her as a wife, because that means they get her property.

Ellena is determined to fight for her voice, despite everything being against her using it. As a woman she is just property used to secure land and truces via marriage. There is no respect from her father and there certainly wasn't any from her cruel now dead husband. After running the Swein estate alone successfully for many years she expects her father to at least listen to her request to keep doing so. Little does she know that he has already made his own plans for her estate and life.

The two of them aren't thrilled to be thrown together, but it's fair to say that sometimes unusual circumstances make for unexpected relationships. Ellena is drawn to the man who is feared because of his reputation and Braedan feels an instinctive need to protect her.

It's historical romance - a fast-paced story full of turmoil.

Matthews balances conflict, anger, violence, turmoil, attraction and love in equal measures, which gives her readers the kind of read they will enjoy. The natural attraction, the obstacles keeping them apart and the question whether they will succumb to the electricity pulling them together. It has all the ingredients a historical romance needs.
*I received a courtesy copy*

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Braedan Leofric, anche noto come la Bestia ha un'unica missione che gli permetterà di riabilitare il nome della sua casata, avere delle ricchezze, salvare la madre e le sorelle dalla povertà. Deve condurre Ellena Swein da Lord Ogmore suo padre e signore di Baendan. La donna dopo la morte del marito, ha saputo mostrare il proprio valore rendendo prospere le sue terre, e ora molti uomini vorrebbero sposarla per entrarne in possesso. Tra di loro, il più pericoloso è Copsi, nemico di suo padre, disposto a tutto pur di ottenere ciò che vuole. Braendan deve proteggerla per permettere al suo signore di darla in moglie a qualcuno di fidato. Ellena vorrebbe invece rimanere nelle proprie terre e mantenere l'indipendenza conquistata, ma nonostante il suo soprannome il cavaliere è onorevole, protettivo e gentile. Braendan sa che non deve innamorarsi della figlia del suo signore, ma scopre in Ellena la gentilezza, l'intelligenza e la bontà. Come riusciranno a resistere al sentimento che sta nascendo tra loro? Adoro le storie sui valorosi cavalieri.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting romantic adventure, featuring a knight with a deadly reputation, and a widow. Braedan has pledged his allegiance to Ellena's father, as he tries to restore his family's reputation and estates. Ellena, clever and resourceful, saves her estate from ruin. She values her independence but must convince her father, who has plans for her remarriage.

Gentle romance fuses with adrenaline-pumping adventure and danger. Ellena begins to fall in love with the man behind the reputation. The forbidden love grows, when Braedan is drawn to Ellena by her courage and kindness. Passion and poignancy define this story as it reaches a climax, full of danger and despair. Thankfully, true love triumphs.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Mills and Boon in return for an honest review.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I loved this story, it was the perfect escape for me and I enjoyed every page!

Anyone who follows my reviews will know I am a massive fan of historical fiction and the blurb for this one certainly caught my attention and having read the book it did not disappoint at all – it was a brilliant story!

I thought that the story was well developed and the plot was great. The characters were really well developed and they worked well with the plot too and it was a book that I did not want to put down!!

It is 5 stars from me for this one, I really enjoyed the plot and thought that it was well written - very highly recommended!!

[nicola mckenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author, publisher and Rachel from Rachel's random resources for this book in return for my own honest review.
This is a well paced story with plenty of action,some dangerous, tense events and moments of passion.
I really like the characters in this book, Lady Ellena Swein and Sir Braedan Leofic, Lady Ellena is a determined lady who has no intention of remarrying after suffering through her first one.
Sir Braedan an honourable man who is trying to help his famil, when Braedan and Lady Ellena are on a long journey back to her father they grow attracted to one another and Braedan soon finds himself caring for Lady Ellena more than he wants.

[GG · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was interesting, heavy on romance, but too steamy.

[Bea Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love me some survival in ye olde wilderness. The hero and heroine were both lovely too. Banging.