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Sons of Britain #3

Driven by Duty

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A warlord’s daughter has responsibilities. No one knows that better than Gwen, only daughter and political pawn of her father, Uthyr. But with her husband banished and her brother gone after him, Gwen isn’t leaving her fate in Uthyr’s hands one moment longer. She needs someone she can trust. Luckily, her lover Elain is the most courageous, loyal, honest woman she knows.

Elain has a secret, and helping Gwen run away will only bring them closer to exposing the truth: that Elain too is the daughter of a powerful warlord—and his only heir. Now her best chance to give Gwen a secure future is to reclaim her birthright. But doing so would mean confronting the father she fled years ago.

Meanwhile, Arthur’s restlessness amid the tedium of a winter border camp draws Bedwyr into risks that could inspire men to swear their swords…or destroy the tenuous alliances holding the Saxons at bay.

DRIVEN BY DUTY is the 3rd novel of the SONS OF BRITAIN series, featuring four people whose unconventional bonds will forge the core of a legendary war band…

…and introducing a fifth, whose arrival will change the course of everything.

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Note: This book includes instances of deadnaming of its transgender heroine, Elain. Readers sensitive to this act may find more information on the book’s page at the author’s website.

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SONS OF BRITAIN series
They’re a long way from legendary. Amid the volatility of 6th-century Britain, Arthur and Bedwyr are just two young men, born to fight and bound to their warlord by blood and oath. But when fierce hearts collide, loyalties can shift, creating bonds far stronger—and ideas far riskier—than their world may be ready for.

SONS OF BRITAIN is the second series of the STORM’S EDGE saga.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2018

44 people are currently reading
213 people want to read

About the author

Mia West

49 books188 followers
Epic romance, two heroes at a time! My story universe features warriors and blacksmiths, rescue swimmers and hockey players, treasure hunters and time travelers, and quite a few shifters. My favorite kind of hero: a grumpy f*cker who’ll do anything for the man he loves.

Read my entire universe free on AO3!

Novel-length ebooks are free on wide vendors.

Happy reading :)

~ Mia

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5 stars
84 (37%)
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85 (37%)
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Claudie ☾.
547 reviews186 followers
June 8, 2022
I’d been looking forward to Gwen and Elain’s book ever since her character had been introduced, and it didn’t disappoint! 😍 I loved Mia West’s twist on the ‘original’ Gwenhwyfar/Lancelot pairing so much that even the appearance of my least favorite trope didn’t bother me here. 💃

Uthyr’s change of heart was a little unexpected, but I’d take this new and improved version over the bastard he’d been in book 1 any day. 👌

On to book 4. This series is so bingeable! ❤️
Profile Image for Leigh Kramer.
Author 1 book1,417 followers
August 29, 2021
I was super looking forward to Gwen and Elain’s story and I am that much more disappointed this didn’t work for me. For one thing, it’s not just their story. We also get POV chapters from Arthur and Bedwyr and this really stole the spotlight from Gwen and Elain. I would have preferred the author to have written another Arthur/Bed story or left their POVs out entirely. I was very frustrated with Arthur in this installment and walked away not liking him much at all. More importantly, Gwen and Elain’s story needed much more time to breathe because we just plain did not get enough from them. This starts out with them already having fallen in love but we never find out exactly how that came about, beyond the glimpses we got in the previous book.

Because we don’t have the tension of them falling in love, the author chose to create tension elsewhere and I completely disagreed with her choices, choices that could be harmful to trans readers. I’m cishet so take this review with a grain of salt; I haven’t been able to find any ownvoices reviews. As far as I know, the author is cis. She did not mention using any trans sensitivity readers or what research she’d done to get representation right.

The Author's Note also confirms that Merion and Palahmed are characters of color but that wasn’t clear in the story itself. Plus, it conveniently elides the fact that Rhys is Black and it was not mentioned once in this book! If I hadn’t read the previous book where Arthur had a whole history lesson on race in Roman Times, which also talked about why Black Rhys had that nickname, I wouldn’t have had a clue since that nickname was not used here that I can recall. Rhys is Merion’s father so that’s a small context clue but we don’t see them interact much on page together and I kept forgetting they were related.

I loved both Elain and Gwen and wish we’d gotten more of them. I went into this book curious to learn more about Elain and it is disheartening that the plot didn’t serve her better. We got so little about her understanding her identity or why she decided to leave her dad or what life was like since then. If this had just been Gwen and Elain’s story, maybe the author would have realized she could have made different choices for Elain.

Character notes: Gwen is a white woman and lord’s daughter, no age given. Elain is a 21 year old white trans woman and former sex worker. Bedwyr is a 22 year old white soldier with one hand. Arthur is a 19 year old white ginger soldier. This is set in 515 CE Cymru (aka Wales.)

Content notes: pregnancy, on page labor and delivery, FMC takes remedy to prevent pregnancy, vomit, sex work (story is partially set at brothel; FMC used to be a sex worker, neither MCs are sex workers in this book), on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, deadnaming (see spoilers in review for more information), FMC is estranged from her father due to past transphobia , dying secondary character , murder of Saxons in raids (off page), gender essentialism/stereotypes (somewhat countered), ableist language, secondary character has one hand (lost other hand in war), ableist slurs/language around secondary character’s disability, secondary character mentions father beating him, reference to past death of mother, references to characters being forced to consummate their marriage (past; no penetrative sex, MMC finished on FMC’s belly and she scooped up the semen and inserted it)
Profile Image for BevS.
2,853 reviews2 followers
May 11, 2020
4.5 stars from me. Really enjoying this series, and surprises just keep popping up.

In this story, Bedwyr, Arthur, Gwen and Elain leave Uthyr's encampment under slightly strange circumstances, and head for Black Rhys's settlement. Bedwyr and Arthur have been banished...Gwen and Elain follow without Uthyr's knowledge BUT it would appear that nothing is quite as it seems. Rhys is a relative, and not far from there, is the home of King Ban. Gwen discovers that she and Ban's son may have been contracted to marry and Elain has been keeping a huge secret from her...Bed and Arthur just grow deeper in love with each other, we meet Gawain and some pretty useless Saxons, and Uthyr pays Rhys a visit.

Profile Image for Rafa Brewster.
257 reviews22 followers
October 17, 2018
4 Stars! Reviewed for Just Love Romance from own copy.

Driven by Duty was a long time coming in all the best ways, being the third installment in the author’s Sons of Britain series, a brilliantly queer retelling of Arthurian lore. If you’re new to the series, have no fear if (like me) you only have passing knowledge of the tales of King Arthur and his court – my only word of advice for you to enjoy this series is to read it in order.

Conversely, if (also like me) it’s been a while since you read the first two books, have no fear because Driven by Duty kicks off right where Bound by Blood left off – and thoughtfully comes equipped with handy-dandy refreshers in the opening scenes. I was able to get up to speed on Arthur, Bedwyn, Gwen and Elain’s latest antics in no time at all.

Unfortunately, the pace slowed quite noticeably just as soon as I was settling in. West’s writing is as strong as I remember, but the story did hit a bit of a lull as the two couples settled into their new roles eking out new beginnings for themselves. Fortunately, my patience was rewarded when the story picked up again about a third of the way in.

There were so many things I enjoyed about this book, not least of which was the natural ease in which the author captured the physical passion between Gwen and Elena. Both characters were multi-faceted and I relished discovering their many sides to them as their story unfolded. I really enjoyed watching Gwen’s independent spirit take flight as a warlord’s daughter away from home for the first time. And it was easy to fall in love with how badass Elena was (particularly with a weapon in hand!), but she had a vulnerability to her as well that I appreciated.

I also loved that Arthur and Bedwyn remained prominent figures in the tale, being inextricably linked with the women despite veering down a slightly different path. My absolute favorite thing was watching their escapades unfold at camp and the men’s reaction to them. It was a great reminder that together, they were a force to be reckoned with and I also enjoyed the way Arthur grew subtly but surely into a leadership role.

As I mentioned earlier, I only have a passing familiarity with the legends of King Arthur and his knights but it was still a delightful read, especially when I was able to match characters in the book with names from the myths. West has a real knack for bringing that period to life in a very palatable yet realistic way. I especially loved the twists and creative license she took with all the characters, most notably with Elain’s backstory.

Despite their trials and sacrifices, Driven by Duty was very much a joyful read and I love the way the author wove everyone’s happy endings together. And finally, a special mention goes out to the cast of side characters. The glimpses we got set the stage for more books down the road, and that final teaser in particular was especially tasty, hinting at a May-December romance between a hardened mercenary and a bold young squire, whose names I won’t spoil for you just in case you’re well-versed in Arthurian lore.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Hillebrand .
334 reviews41 followers
April 13, 2024
I was so happy that Gwen got her happy life with someone that loves her and wants to help her achieve everything!! So wholesome
Profile Image for Manalye.
94 reviews1 follower
April 11, 2021
I can't decide if (a) this book was not as good as the others or (b) I anticipated it too much and let myself down. Because I do that a lot.

After finishing the first in the series, I looked through the synopsis (synopsises? Synopsi? Synopses?) Of the rest of the series to get an idea of where things were headed. I knew immediately which one I wanted to read: this one. Hands down. Couldn't wait.

And I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. Like I said, not unusual for me to let myself down when it comes to anticipating books. And I feel bad because I think the reason I don't like it as much is purely personal.

The writing is still the same calibur. This author knows how to write a great story- action, romance, sexy times, all of it. And the characterization is spot on.

So what didn't I like? Elain and Gwen. I like the idea, but we start this book with them already in love. I want to see all that beginning angst and pining. See what I mean? It's a personal preference. Also, they as a couple don't feel as electric as Arthur and Bed. Maybe because the beginning relationship is missing? I don't know.

Do I think you should read it? Absolutely! Not everyone is going to approach this book the same way I did. I love this author's writing and the LGBTQIA rep. I love the setting and the spin on a legend. I highly recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Shan( Shans_Shelves) &#x1f49c;.
1,082 reviews93 followers
May 5, 2021
It’s settled I’m obsessed with this series.

This book had its ups and downs but overall?- it was actually very sweet and I loved Gwen and Elain.

“For now, though, this was her world, this bed in this chamber and these two she loved with every corner of her heart.”

Of course, we get a continuation of both Bedwyr and Arthur’s story and damn I love them even more than I did before.

“ It was probably only a subtle shift of muscle, but nothing so mundane could encompass the result: an expression that said a man had just spotted the one who made up his entire world.
It was rare.
It was beautiful.”



Driven by duty really focused on Elain and her past, and I love the way it played around with familial relationships both blood bound and non blood bound. We got the addition of two new characters ( they’re the stars of book 4, which I’m excited about), and we even get some much needed closure with one character in particular. This series is definitely something you should check out if like Viking vibe stories with romance that are as comical as they are violent.


Rep: Gay MCs, Sapphic MC, Trans Heroine, f/f romance, m/m romance, multiple queer side characters, black side characters, MC with one hand.

Content Warnings: Deadnaming (challenged and addressed in authors note), homophobia, light violence, mentions of parental abuse.
Profile Image for Cleo.
633 reviews14 followers
November 3, 2020
B+. Excellent, immersive queering of the King Arthur legends. It’s a wonderful, non-misogynistic reimagining of the whole Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot triangle. It’s a little less successful as a romance between Gwen and Elain / Lancae - I wanted more character development and more of a sense of them as a couple. But as a coming of age story and satisfying conclusion to the problems set up by book 2, it really rocks.

This is the 3rd in the series and is absolutely not stand alone. You have to read book 2 to get this book.

Set in 6th C Wales with no knights or magic, this whole series feels like both Arthur’s origin story and an origin story of the Arthurian Legends.
Profile Image for Naomi (aplace_inthesun).
1,165 reviews35 followers
February 5, 2023
This was Gwen and Elaine’s story.. The difficulty I had with this one was that it didn’t chart the life of their relationship, but rather it’s a continuation of the first two stories. I really wanted to see how their relationship had progressed from when they met, to where they fell in love. I didn’t feel they were the focal point of the story, for the most part, as the other characters still played as equal, if not, greater roles in the book. To some extent it was still Bed and Arthur’s story, with some additional information about Gwen and Elain as bit players

One of the other things I felt uncertain about was knowing Elain had made such a difficult choice to leave her father’s home, but on return readily donned her dead persona (perhaps as a testament to her love for Elain, before her father. I just didn’t think as a trans woman this seemed consistent with the story.

I do like the twist in this tale however, and the different perspectives of other characters in the book that give rise to possible upcoming storylines in the next books.

Profile Image for Lisa.
1,483 reviews5 followers
August 8, 2023
The Sons of Britain series brings another very enjoyable book in the series. In this book, several stories intertwine. Bedwyr and Arthur continue their adventures, as they are banished from their homeland. Connecting with another nearby warlord, they take on border patrol, test their relationship, and expand their fighting skills. Bedwyr remains married to Elain and Gwen to Arthur, although each couple is secretly in a same-sex relationship with the other.

Elain and Gwen have followed the two men in their banishment and they take up duties in the new location. In the meantime, Elain (trans-female) and Gwen look for ways to deepen their relationship, although each is keeping significant secrets.

This book has action, intrigue, and deep loves. The community of interconnected friends and family continues to grow; I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Louise.
1,385 reviews41 followers
November 25, 2022
Gwen and Elain...


I swoon.
I die.
I'll be happy forever knowing these two exist.
But more than anything, I'm just so fucking overjoyed to read a historical story with a trans woman protagonist who isn't tortured.
Who knows exactly who they are, makes that a reality, and gets their happy fucking ending.
...
As if this series wasn't already pushing every endorphin release button I possess.
I love my ladies so much.
Profile Image for Geri.
287 reviews
October 14, 2018
Its been such a while since I have visited this world and I honestly thought it would take a little time for me to reacquaint myself with it - but it didn't.
We start exactly where we left off in the last book.
I loved the way that this book is equally shared between Arthur, Bed, Gwen and Elain. I liked the introduction of new characters and am eager to read the stories of Morien and Palahed.

Great story and I look forward to the next book in the series.
Profile Image for 1tigerlily.
93 reviews
March 19, 2019
Love this series as much as the one preceding it. Fun variation on the Arthurian legend- enjoying the LGBTQ slant and recognizing names that I’ve heard from various sources in the past. Also, no doubt there have been many people of varying sexualities whose existence in history has been ‘modified’ to satisfy whoever didn’t approve.
Thanks Mia for a nicely written, different take on historical romance.
1,601 reviews11 followers
March 11, 2024
This is the story of Gwen and Elain--and of course Arthur and Bedwyr. Mia West does a great job in basically rewriting the Arthurian legends in theses books. Yes, she takes liberties--I mean come on they are all practically queer in one way or another.

This is the story of Gwen following Arthur and Bedwyr to Rhy's estate and her working with Lord Ban without Elain's knowledge AND the fact that she is "with child".

Fun and adventurous, fighting abound.
Profile Image for Joe Catania.
1 review1 follower
October 18, 2018
Enjoyed all three in series but third was my least favorite. I will read the fourth in series when it is released.
4 reviews
March 4, 2022
Well done

A good continuation with lots of room to move forward. Interesting and encompassing. I'll definitely read the next one. Bravo :)
Profile Image for E.M. Schenker.
Author 6 books15 followers
May 24, 2025
Great story, I enjoyed the trans rep and thought it was well done.
Profile Image for su.
63 reviews
August 2, 2021
GOD. THE REPRESENTATION IN THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. MY HEART IS MELTING.
GWEN ELAINE ARTHUR BED PALAHMEDS, MORIEN. THE GAYS KEEP ON WINNING
Profile Image for Alexia.
216 reviews
August 18, 2022
Don't sit on this series. Beautiful retelling and I really enjoyed the new POV storylines added in this book. Mia is building a really riveting world and I can't put this series down.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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