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Black Wolf #3

The Last Arrow the Last Arrow

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The Last Arrow The Prince of Darkness She caught him trespassing on her family's lands, the sensuous and mysterious knight who had come to Normandy tochallenge her brother, Robin, in the tournament at Chateau Gaillard. Brenna Wardieu's well-honed instincts warned her that Griffyn Renaud was no ordinary mercenary. When she discoveredhe was the invincible Prince of Darkness, undefeated champion in three lands, she feared he has been hired to do more than just defeat Robin in the lists. The Fires of Passion She wasLady Brenna Wardieu, daughter of the legendary Black Wolf, and from the moment Griffyn found himself at the mercy of the magnificent lady archer, he suspected he had met his match. And when she offeredhim her body in exchange for her brother's life, it proved to be the instrument of his own defeat, for the passion he discovered in her arms threatened to shatter not only the armor surrounding his heart, but the peace oftwo kingdoms. "From the Paperback edition."

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 1997

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Marsha Canham

41 books582 followers

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5 stars
586 (53%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Profile Image for Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS).
1,905 reviews326 followers
July 25, 2017
The Last Arrow opened in 1214 AD; a heated time of discontent. There were two kings vying for one kingdom, religion, chivalry, donjons, the element of surprise and two despicable villains. But wait! I am not done. The Last Arrow had a rotten-to-the-core villainess that made it into my top five list of repugnant women. I had chills.

This was the third story within a trilogy but I had no problem reading it as a standalone. It starts with a 12-page prologue. Read it. Remember the saying: 'what goes around comes around'.

I won't lie. I hesitated more than once before I had finished the first half. There were highs and lows with some moments of disbelief that had me wondering why so many readers gave it five stars. I thought to myself: this is following the same pattern as so many romances of the 1990s.

But it didn't.

Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Ms. Canham threw me a curveball. It built into an adventure with unexpected jolts of revelation. What easily would have earned 3 stars at the halfway point, cruised into four and shifted into five.
Profile Image for daemyra, the realm's delight.
1,280 reviews37 followers
January 27, 2021
Great ending to a wonderful series that has made me *get* the appeal of medieval romances. The Late Middle Ages (12th-15th centuries) is really my jam! Anything about Norman conquerors or the time before 1050 AD has just never struck my fancy!

1. Everything I ever wanted to know about jousting tournaments -and I love it.

2. If a hero keeps a secret memento of the heroine, I am 1000% he is completely and utterly devoted to her. Griffyn tying Brenna's veil around his arm at the end...

3. Brenna Wardieu is perfectly matched by Griffyn. She is an ace archer, second to no man, and Griffyn loves that about her. He even tells her to shake out her hair at one point to let the evil guys know they were bested by a woman. This really feels like the Alaric and Gill love story we never got to see unfold in-depth In The Shadow of Midnight!

3(a) This is how to write a show, don't tell story about an empowered heroine and hero who loves her for it. Brenna is one of the strongest heroines I've read without the narrator or every other character having to intellectualize about it. I've read some awful romances where the author was too focused on writing an essay about women's rights in The Olden Days (nonexistent, we get it) than telling a love story.

So often strong female characters are empowered to the point where they are perfect, or they are given a debilitating insecurity. Brenna is real. She is confident about her skills as an archer, and while she has vulnerabilities about whether she cleans up good, her insecurities do not define her or her actions. She doesn't fall into a helpless state but continues marching on. Also, Griffyn respects her and their sexy times are good.

4. This series really loves giving the hero like 5 different identities, huh?

5. We get Nicolaa 2.0 with Solange who gets off on torture and I'm still not sure what exactly was the masochistic sex toy she used on Bertrand, but I'm ok not knowing!

6.Medieval punishments are gross and we love to see it.
Profile Image for Mojca.
2,132 reviews166 followers
September 13, 2013
Lovely Lady Brenna Wardieu, daughter of the Black Wolf, isn’t exactly known for her ladylike behavior. She’s spent her childhood emulating her brothers and has become a master of the longbow, a worthy rival of the land’s best archers.

One day, she finally meets her match in Griffyn Renaud de Verdelay, a mysterious man she’s caught trespassing on her father’s lands. She immediately knows he cannot be trusted, despite his acquaintance with her brother, Robin. Her suspicions turn true when she learns Griffyn, a.k.a. Prince of Darkness, has been hired to challenge Robin in a tournament and dispose of him accordingly.

Griffyn is a man on a mission which doesn’t involve getting tangled up in a woman’s web. Yet, there is something about Brenna that draws him in and makes it harder and harder to go through with his plan on getting a rematch against Robin and ultimately killing him.

Neither can help the growing attraction between them and despite their differences and conflicting goals, they find themselves watching each other’s backs in battle after battle. Soon, it becomes clear their goal is the same and they end up working together to save her brother’s life, find a traitor in their midst, and save a few lives and maybe even the fate of kingdom in the process.


This was the final book in the Robin Hood Trilogy, that started with Through a Dark Mist and continued with In the Shadow of Midnight . And while both previous books were great on their own, I couldn’t help but think everything I’ve read so far, both individual stories intertwined with the main arc of the trilogy, has led to this one, the last book— The Last Arrow , which for me is the best in the trilogy. After all, it is the ‘grand finale’, where everything is nicely tied up, and the main arc sort of comes full circle.

This is the story of how three of the Wolf’s cubs (all three boys and the tomboyish girl that has always been the pupil of her father’s eye) travel from France to England to save the Lost Princess, retrieve a damsel, and help the outlaws in their noble cause against the tyranny of King John. While on their way to England they’ll stop on a tournament, make a few new acquaintances, save on of those acquaintances’ life, and enlist that same acquaintance’s help on their venture to their final destination.

Since this book was rife with sub-plots, historical details, and strong, realistic and believable characters, to me it was the most complex one in the trilogy. While so far we’ve only been served one main story and one to two side-stories per book, this one had two ‘main’ couples vying for attention, an old revenge sub-plot that was resolved somewhere in the middle, the lost princess subplot, a great villain and a rehashed one from the previous book, the ‘robinhoodesque’ conclusion etc.

Focusing on the ‘main’ main couple—Brenna and Gryffin (because let’s face it, the other couple, Robin and Marienne, truly had only one scene together), for me their romance was the most realistic of the entire trilogy. Realistic in the sense of their interactions, their personalities, and their inner ‘demons’. The fact she was a proficient archer in a time where women were considered more cattle than cattle, and he was a self-made tournament champion and even better at archery than her, was a bit fantastic, but it worked well with the story and their development, both individually and as a couple.
It was the aforementioned other things, the emotions they brought to the table, the inner turmoil, the reluctance to trust and yield, that made them so ‘real’ to me, because it could happen to anyone, even in this day and age. The emotional roller coaster the two were on works regarding of the historical setting. The attraction was obvious from the start, the ‘love’ started developing from the moment they were officially introduced, but there was so much baggage with both of them, the misgivings, the secrets, the mistrust, they were both weary of giving in, of taking that final leap of faith. One would think because this is a romance, there shouldn’t be so much reluctance, but the story wouldn’t have worked if there wasn’t that reluctance present. Ms. Canham has written it in a way the reader (on the first read, that is) also isn’t quite sure whether Gryffin, despite being the hero, could indeed be trusted. So, if the reader cannot completely trust the hero (until the final few chapters where everything is explained, that is), how can the heroine?
And he, well, he held so much anger inside, so much darkness, the armor around his heart and emotions so thick that he couldn’t afford falling for her, yet couldn’t help himself. Like moth to a flame he was drawn to her, despite knowing better, despite all his efforts.
To me, Brenna and Gryffin were a perfect couple, fighting against everything they felt for each other, yet succumbing at the end. And the best part, he was the one who fell first and the hardest. Sure, he was an asshole, but he had his reasons. She was no angel, either, at least when it came to him. Yet, they fit. Perfectly. Both flawed, yet one loving the flaws of the other. I loved them both.

With such a ‘power-couple’ and such a strong love story, everything else could’ve easily rode shotgun or even taken the back seat, but it didn’t. It’s Ms. Canham’s forte to intertwine and combine multiple elements, characters and plot-lines where all of them shine through in the story without one of those ‘elements’ fading into the backdrop. Everything has its purpose, everything, every single aspect of the story works in driving the plot forward, and in a multiple-book storylines, everything is nicely tied in a bow in the end, even elements that seemed redundant in previous books.
And that’s what I love about Ms. Canham’s writing and that’s what makes her one of my favorite authors. The ‘homogeneity’, the flawlessness of combining and mixing various elements to make a tight, well-paced and well-written plot and story.

The story of the Lost Princess of Brittany was nicely tied up, with an additional romantic aspect to it, despite of where she was and what she’s become, the Wolf’s heir kept his promise given eleven years ago (at the end of In the Shadow of Midnight ) and retrieved his one and only love. The villains got their due, though I wanted to know what happened in Gryffin’s youth resulting in one of the villains only having nine fingers. The main villain of the entire trilogy, Prince/King John had mellowed (and met his maker as explained in the epilogue). And we finally got the retelling of the Robin Hood legend that’s I’ve been waiting for since book one. It was unique and engaging and made me want to demand more, especially what happened to Robin and Brenna’s brothers Richard and Dag, and whether Will has indeed married the younger Wolf’s cub, Rhiannon.

This was an engrossing read that will keep you guessing until the last page. There is action and adventure aplenty, a great villain, awesome secondary characters all woven into the 13th century tapestry of political intrigue, dark family secrets, revenge, murder, knightly battles, and a great romantic conflict and sensual tension between the two leads. All told with Ms. Canham's usual flair, elegance, and talent for delivering a strong combination of romance, action, adventure, and sensuality along with humor and great character development.
Profile Image for Natalie.
528 reviews19 followers
July 17, 2025
MC does it again. This book is delicious
Profile Image for melanie.
462 reviews
December 26, 2020
the historical fiction in this book is EXCELLENT (hell yeah ms canham describe a lord’s feasting hall to me), the romance... ok until the end, when I liked it more
176 reviews14 followers
April 5, 2013
This book was magic to me and I've already put it on my favorites list. Lots of adventure, excitement, suspense, romance, twists and turns of the plot, and great characters.

The story is primarily about a young Norman noblewoman, Brenna, and the dark knight, Griffyn, she falls in love with. She is courageous and the best archer among the knights of her family and friends. She falls for a mysterious man, an unbeatable knight, with a dark past and a troubled soul who no longer believes he has any honor or reason to help anyone but himself. Brenna follows her brothers, brave knights all, and best friend, WIll,to rescue a nobleman who has been kidnapped, a nobleman who has been guarding the heir to the throne of England, to protect her from her villaneous uncle the king. Through a combination of circumstances, Griffyn also lends his sword to the adventure. There is plenty of action: treachery, battles, escapes, etc., not to mention some hot love scenes.

I really liked the fact that is a TRUE historical with lots of appropriate language, lifestyle, and other detail to bring this period to life. I also liked the fact that the h, while brave and unorthodox, was still within the, admittedly stretched, credibility for a woman of the period, unlike many historicals with 21st century h's. The hero is thrillingly and wickedly dark, and he resists moving from the dark side and onto the side of love and honor, brought around primarily by the love for Brenna. There are also many great secondary characters with distinctive voices including the dwarf who trains the knights and Brenna's brothers and friend Will.
519 reviews83 followers
April 5, 2021
This book was pure medieval romance perfection. I’m honestly not sure what more I would have asked for. I’m devastated that I’ve finished this book and this series- because it was just so darned good! This is a Robin Hood retelling- but one that left me more fulfilled than any adaption I’ve seen on TV and the main character wasn’t even Robin (although he’s a secondary character).

Our heroine is the daughter of a legend and she’s been allowed freedom growing up- which also included her training to become the best person around with a bow and arrow. One day she comes across a trespasser on her family’s land and at arrow point drags him to her father. Our heroine believes this mysterious stranger is there to assassinate her brother Robin (!!) and will do anything to stop him.

The heroine in this book is strong willed and stands up for and goes for what she wants (which includes the hero) and refuses to feel shame for that. The hero has so much mystery behind him but watching his story unfold as well as his fascination with the heroine is fantastic to read. However this book offers so much more than a romance, it offers a tale of adventure and political intrigue with lots of relevance to the political climate of the time. If you love history AND romance you definitely need to read this book!
Profile Image for Ashley Mayer.
487 reviews12 followers
March 12, 2012
The Last Arrow is the final book in Marsha Canham's Robin Hood trilogy. It's the story of Brenna, the Black Wolf and Lady Servanne's daughter. She's her father’s favorite daughter and has spent more time on the back of a warhorse and learning to shoot a bow than learning manners and wearing dresses. When she finds a poacher on their land she's surprised to find out it's one of Robin's acquaintances from a long ago tournament. Everyone seems to take to Griffyn Renaud, except Brenna who is suspicious he's a mercenary hired to kill Robin. When trouble starts in England Robin heads that way to help out. There's no way Brenna is going to stay behind, and because he can't kill Robin if he's doesn't go along Griffyn joins the party too. What happens when Brenna realizes she may have feelings for the man she believes was paid to kill her brother?

This book is my favorite from this trilogy. Brenna is awesome! She's a great character that I couldn't help but love. Through the trilogy we've met different characters and this book has some of the best. There's plenty of action, adventure, and romance to make it impossible to put this book down. I'm sad that I've come to the end of the series but I will definitely read more by Marhsa Canham.
Profile Image for Kim H.
55 reviews19 followers
May 15, 2009
I can't say enough good things about Marsha Canham. She is, without a doubt, my favorite historical romance writer. The Last Arrow is the third book in her Robin Hood trilogy, and as difficult as it is to choose a favorite, this one is probably mine (all three are fantastic). Griffyn Renaud de Verdelay is a dark and troubled hero with a past - and a couple of pretty big secrets. When he meets Brenna Wardieu, daughter of Lucien and Servanne Wardieu (the main characters from book one) the tension between them is immediate and electrifying, and while their encounters are always sexually and emotionally charged, you're never quite sure if at least one of them is going to survive fully intact.

This plot has more twists and turns than any other romance novel I've ever read, and they keep coming right up to the very satisfying end. The secondary characters are strongly written without being intrusive to the love story, the villains truly repulsive, evil people, and the main characters, while not perfect, are worth caring about and cheering for. In short - it's a keeper.

Sensuality Rating: R
Profile Image for Marilyn.
354 reviews10 followers
November 16, 2011
Of Marsha Canham's trilogy about Robin Hood, this one, I thought, was the best. It was fast-paced, had a delicious hero, a heroine totally resistant to the idea of fitting into a demure female mold as determined by society as a whole, and a mystery that gradually unfolded in such a way that kept me flipping pages till the very end which I finally reached at 1:30 am. Of course, Canham takes liberties with both the Robin Hood tale as well as some of the history at the time but I still found it acceptable and a thoroughly thrilling tale.
Profile Image for Misfit.
1,638 reviews353 followers
August 20, 2008
Great Take on the Robin Hood Legend. What an awesome rolicking romp. Especially once everyone got to England and Nottingham. I really liked the way the author brought the characters with their names into the Robin Hood saga. Things really cooked in the last part of the book when they got to Sherwood and the battle, etc. with the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Loved the reunion with Robin and Merianne (sp?). All around great read.
Profile Image for Keri.
2,102 reviews121 followers
February 24, 2016
A wonderful close to the trilogy and well worth the time it took to read all three books. I didn't think that MC was going to be able to wrap it up very well, but darned if she didn't. Should have never second guessed her.
Profile Image for Em.
721 reviews4 followers
July 28, 2020
I gave The Last Arrow an A- at All About Romance. My reviews of the first two books in the series are available here: Robin Hood Trilogy.

Although The Last Arrow can be read as a standalone, I don’t recommend it. There will be spoilers for earlier books in the trilogy in this review.

In Through a Dark Mist, Lucien Wardieu (aka the Black Wolf; aka Lord Randwulf de la Seyne Sur Mer, champion of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine) plots to destroy his nefarious bastard brother Etienne and to rescue Princess Eleanor. Lord Randwulf successfully frees Princess Eleanor, but as In the Shadow of Midnight begins, she’s imprisoned again after her brother’s failed attempt to usurp King John and claim the throne of England. That book details the daring rescue of Princess Eleanor from Corfe Castle with inside help from the captain of the guard, Jean de Brevant (eventually “Littlejohn”). The villainous Guy Gisbourne is left bleeding to death, and Princess Eleanor becomes the newest novitiate at Kirklees Priory. Marienne remains with her, as does Lord Henry de Clare, who’s fallen in love with the princess. He designates himself as her protector, disguising himself as a friar and making his home in Sherwood Forest. Robin (first born son of Lord Randwulf and Lady Servanne) reluctantly departs with Ariel and Eduard, but promises to return for Marienne, his childhood love.

The Last Arrow begins in a prologue. Marienne FitzWilliam is at the market in Nottingham to trade the linens woven by the nuns of Kirklees and is unknowingly watched closely by Reginald de Braose, a town official in the service of the newly installed Lord High Sheriff of Nottingham, Guy de Gisborne (who survived after he was knifed in the last book). Beginning her two-hour journey back to the abbey, she’s joined by the local friar.
Like Marienne, he had taken no formal vows with the church, nor was he inclined to offer a prayer in lieu of a cut from his sword should his back come against a wall. He was one of the deadliest swordsmen in Sherwood and had his monk’s robes specially fashioned to afford access to the weapon he always wore strapped to his waist. He had earned the familiar name Tuck because of the assortment of knives, daggers, and blades he kept hidden in various folds and pockets of his garments, and this was just as well, because his real name, should it ever slip from an unguarded tongue, would have brought the wrath of the crown down on all their heads.
Not far from town, the pair is trapped by soldiers and knights on horseback, but the friar pleads for safe passage to the abbey for Marienne. Just before she departs he whispers “If you do not hear from me in two days’ time… get word to Amboise. Tell them the Pearl may be in grave danger and needs their help.” Spoiler alert: She doesn’t hear from him.

The Last Arrow, like the other books in the trilogy, is equal parts adventure (often misadventure) and romance. The adventure part of this story kicks off with the arrival at Château d’Amboise of an ominous message from Marienne, “They have taken Lord Henry,” accompanied by Eleanor’s ring; unfortunately, I can’t tell you much beyond that without spoilers. Suffice it to say, Lord Randwulf and Alaric FitzAthelstan agree Eleanor must be protected, but fear a trap. Robin, who has loved Marienne since they were children, is adamant they must rescue both women. Unbeknownst to the group, someone is eavesdropping at the door.

Much like Ariel in In the Shadow of Midnight, Lady Brenna Wardieu has little inclination to marry; she prefers to spend her days in the forest, bow in hand (she’s a master archer trained by Gil Golden), hunting with her brothers and closest friend William FitzAthelstan (Alaric and Gil’s son). When the story begins, dusk is falling and Brenna is making her way back to the castle when she spots a stranger gutting a fish by the side of the river. Powerful, muscular and utterly absorbed in his activity, he doesn’t notice Brenna carefully cataloging his belongings. When he turns and spots her, he stills before commenting on her bow. Brenna quickly demonstrates her prowess with the weapon before asking him what he’s doing in the woods. Suspecting he’s a poacher (although his weapons and horse give her pause), she orders him to proceed her back to the castle. They run into Robin at the gate; he asks for an introduction and it turns out he knows the mysterious stranger. Years ago, they faced off at a tournament and jousted a record twenty-three times, before judges declared Robin the winner.

Brenna is smart to be suspicious of Griffyn Renaud de Verdelay. Although he is on his way to Rouen for L’Emprise de la Gueule de Dragon (a tournament Robin also plans to attend) and claims he simply lost his way, he’s secretly plotting to kill Robin! (No, I’m not going to tell you why). He’s thrilled to find himself welcomed to stay at Amboise by his enemy and uses the time to spy on Robin (and the mysterious goings on related to Alaric’s late night arrival). He’s also a teensy, tiny bit distracted by the beautiful and deadly Brenna, who obviously doesn’t trust him. When not spying on Robin, he spends his time baiting her with smoldering looks and sexy wagers that Brenna – predictably – can’t say no to. Unfortunately for poor Brenna, Griffin is a TOTAL LETHAL BADASS. Fortunately for us, she keeps her promises. These two get into sexy shenanigans whenever they’re alone at Amboise, and when they both eventually wind up in Rouen for the tournament, they consummate their relationship.

Griffyn has secrets (I won’t be revealing them in this review) and connections to the villains of this story. I’m happy to tell you his character is fully redeemed by the conclusion of the series, and he’s become one of my new favorite ‘dark heroes.’ I loved this couple and their passion in bed and out of it. They argue and bicker and one-up each other, but can’t help falling in love. Trust is the biggest hurdle to their happiness, and they struggle with it more than most. Griffyn is surprised by the intensity of his feelings for Brenna, and wholly invested in her happiness; betraying his love for her – by killing Robin – ultimately proves impossible. That sets him at odds with his patron and the true villains of this story – Lord Bertrand Malagane – along with his sadistic lover Solange de Sancerre, and Guy de Gisborne, eager for revenge against Robin (who gelded him during the escape from Corfe). Griffyn’s refusal to kill Robin nearly gets him killed, but it also paves the way for the adventure plot to intersect with the romance. It’s all very tricky and clever and neatly plotted, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

The Last Arrow has surprises and betrayals and sword fights and hot sex and feats of bravery and derring do and kisses and midnight trysts and romance and… friends, it has it all! Ms. Canham slowly but steadily turns up the heat, and then brings it all to an exciting crescendo outside of

You can read the rest of this review at All About Romance.
Profile Image for Stevie.
811 reviews4 followers
March 27, 2011
This was wonderful. And there two romances in this one. In this one she manages to keep you doubting the integrity of one of the main characters almost to the end. There were several unexpected twists and surprises to the story line. But most enjoyable is how the famous characters of the traditional Robin Hood are introduced and how she creatively demonstrate how they got their name and reputation, but with her own version and idea of what the characters were. As always, you have no trouble developing a perfect visual of each character, and you become attached to each one within a few chapters. The main female character is strong willed, ferocious in temperament and will, and always finding members of the opposite sex little more than bothersome. Who could blame her when her father is the infamous Black Wolf, and her brothers are legends as well. Tough acts to follow, but leave it to Marsha to create yet another spectacular hero with a dark and haunted past, who leaves the heroine completely flustered and off balance. He's committed to one emotion only and it has paved the way to a reputation that strikes fear and awe into the hearts of all who have heard his name, until Brenna captures his heart at the point of an arrow. Then there is Robin and Marienne and the long awaiting reunion which was not disappointing. Page turning/burning action and some very graphic violence depicting the brutality of the time period, passionate exchanges that smolder until they finally ignite, all exceptionally done. There is also the return of some loved characters of the two previous books, and some villains that make your skin crawl, and a couple of scenes that have you to the edge of your seat. The plot is, as always with MC, very well thought out and fast paced with artistic detail that brings the story to life. The character were rich and endearing and leaving you with a desire to know how the rest of their lives turn out. Definitely recommended but a must to read the series in order to truly feel the connection of all the characters, time period and overall adventure.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
549 reviews52 followers
April 30, 2020
I've been totally sucked into this series. Can't believe how much I enjoyed it. I have another book I'm "supposed" to be reading but I just couldn't pull myself away from the trilogy.
The Medieval period in England/Normandy is really fascinating and Marsha Canham is my new favorite historical romance writer. Even tho this has romance and is fiction, it's also laced with history and has definitely reinforced my interest in that period. The constant battle to establish rule over land, the Knights who fight according to a code of honor, the Castles and Keeps that are still littered over the countrysides today (even if in ruins) are endlessly interesting despite knowing the outcomes.
Interspersed with romance, all three books made for a great escape from Covid 19!!!!
Also, I would be hard pressed to name a favorite among the trilogy ~ each book, equally compelling.
Profile Image for Erik Orrantia.
Author 13 books23 followers
December 14, 2011
I gave the first two in the series five stars and I was continually entranced by the quality of the writing. I downgraded this one slightly for two reasons (which may be spoilers): 1) though writing a series can be difficult, Canham continued the pattern of "hate turns into love" romance which occurred in each of the two previous books--it was too predictable; and 2) that the ensemble of characters, though mostly brought over from the first two books, was so large that I had a hard time distinguishing between them. Though I found this true in the first two books, too, it didn't really occur to me until now.

Overall, loved it and enjoyed the entire series. I thought Robin Hood would end up being a thief for the victims but, alas, I was wrong.
Profile Image for guiltless pleasures.
579 reviews62 followers
February 14, 2024
The last in Canham's epic Robin Hood trilogy. What a ride. The historical detail is impeccable, the characters compelling and the violence is super gory. And do NOT discount Canham's smex-writing skills. They are formidable! Griffyn and Brenna are such a hot couple with chemistry to spare.

I highly, highly recommend reading this trilogy from start to finish. Canham does an excellent job of seamlessly reminding us what came before and who characters are, but the story will be much richer if you've followed these characters over the roughly two decades these books cover.

The setting moves between turn-of-the-13th-century central France and northern England. The inept and (by Canham's accounting) venal King John is running the English empire into the ground, leaving local administration to sadistic f*cks like Guy of Gisbourne who steal from and torture the peasants under his control.

Our main characters are the Wardieu family, led by the Black Wolf himself, Randwulf de la Seyne Sur Mer. Our heroine this book is Brenna Wardieu, his daughter, who is a preternaturally precise archer and spends much of the book in trousers. Our hero is Griffyn Renaud de Verdelay, an immense and inscrutable knight with mysterious intentions and motivations.

There's a lot going on plotwise, but underlying it all is a mission to save Lord Henry de Clare, who has been captured after many years of guarding someone who I will not name here in case you haven't read the other books.

First, what I didn't love so much:
- There are two female psychopaths in this trilogy, and both of them are sexually voracious. It feels a little... judgy, even though the non-psychopathic women are plenty horny themselves.
- There is some, not dubcon exactly, but "forced seduction" between Griffyn and Brenna toward the beginning.

I could go on for a long time about what I love about this book, so here are a few highlights:
- I love a medieval, and this one is especially delicious because it takes place soon enough after the Norman conquest that there are still Saxons around. Canham's period detail is immersive and natural-feeling.
- Brenna and Griffyn's meet cute is wonderful, almost mythological in feeling.
- She gives him a butt massage. 'Nuff said.
- Canham's sex scenes are so good -- vivid and hot.
- The fight scenes, whether one-on-one or battles, are brutal and magnificent.
- How Canham illuminates mythmaking; she plants seeds of the Robin Hood legend throughout this trilogy, and in this book, you finally see it all come together.
- Sherwood Forest!
- The epilogue

I will have to come back to this trilogy in the future, but for now, I will move on to her Scotland books. She's just one of the best historical romance writers I've read.
Profile Image for Karen Voitik.
3,219 reviews
March 16, 2024
>Book Review – The Last Arrow

>I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 3rd and final in the Black Wolf series and ends in an HEA. All of Robin’s merry men are finally in the same story. This book has the romance of three couples: Robin and Marienne, Griffyn and Brenna, and Lord Henry and Princess Eleanor. The political intrigue is high. There are characters who double-cross, and some set up as red herrings. The violence is extreme, and some beloved characters pass away. The book and series are so realistic to life in that time.

>My favorite couple was Griffyn and Brenna. I love how smart and able Brenna is. Griffyn is a perfect Alpha. The banter among the characters was so fun to read. The descriptions of the jousting made me cringe! I loved the epilogue, but I wanted more story from the end of the battle to the epilogue. There are a lot of unknowns, such as how did the peasants live after they fought back?

>This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving this book 4 stars. The romance is erotic, the battles are gory, and the dialogue is crass and realistic to the time period. I wanted more after the battle. The series was a wonderful read and well written.
Profile Image for Carole Burant.
1,277 reviews36 followers
January 27, 2022
I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this series, it's one of the best I've read in a long time. This book is Brenna and Griffyn's story but it also deals with many of the other characters from the previous two books and I, for one, was so happy to read what happens with them!! I have to admit I did cry at one very sad part in the book....sniff! Filled with non stop action, steamy passion and a few twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages.

As a side note, I was thrilled when the Major Oak was mentioned because I had recently heard about it and had researched it:) Seeing pictures of it, I could just imagine Robin and his men sitting around it!

I look forward to reading more of Marsha Canham's books, she truly writes the kind of stories I enjoy reading.
5 reviews
July 4, 2022
The story was great - twists and turns, not sure who to trust, character development was good. The only reason I gave a 4 star was because there was a lot of descriptions - weaponry, armour, fighting and it took me out of the story instead of drawing me in.

Brenna was such an interesting character and she stayed true to her character the whole way through. I admit, this was my first book and it is #3 in the series but I still understood what was driving them all so you do not have to read the other books to follow this story. Even though I put 4 stars, I am going to go find the other books before this and read them. The bits of known history she weaves into this story is wonderful.

If you like historical romance, you'll enjoy this read.
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306 reviews
June 25, 2020
I didn’t get on with this book nearly as much as the first 2 books in the series. I didn’t like the main characters as much and it was quite repetitive - following the same format as the previous two which therefore became boring by the final book. It’s a shame as I had high hopes after enjoying the first two but I’ve soon come to realise this Author likes a certain way of writing which doesn’t appear to vary between books. Might try her others another time but for now I need to move onto something else.
25 reviews1 follower
January 28, 2022
Wow! This book was fantastic! The ‘Stay up to late reading and be thinking about the story all day’ kind of fantastic. I read it on kindle after buying on sale and I would gladly have paid full price for this! It is an unexpected twist on the familiar Robin Hood tale. I didn’t realize it was a romance novel, I assumed more historical fiction, so watch out, it’s pretty steamy, but very well written with thoroughly enjoyable.
1,351 reviews10 followers
November 5, 2023
It started off good and promising but Marsha creates so much back story with other characters there is not a lot to the romance story between Brenna and Renaud. How Brenna and Renaud met, what he was doing at the tournament, etc. is all interesting. I just wish there was more between the characters. There is MORE BLOOD AND GORE than love in her books and it’s aggravating. Solange and Malagane are enough to turn your stomach. Just like Etienne and Nicola in the first book with Lucien. However, she brought it back around at the end and in the epilogue.
88 reviews
August 19, 2023
Amazing details amid high adventure!

Like all of Marsha Can games books, The Last Arrow brings medieval pageantry and adventure to life. You were ill love her characters as she weaves a tale with the skill of a master craftsman. The story of the lost princess continues and you will not want to miss a single captivating page.
10 reviews
July 14, 2024
Great and interesting series that you will totally enjoy!

This series of books are amazingly well written!! The main characters are very interesting and their actions between them are flawless!. The description of details are very well written and accurate. I strongly recommend reading these books for the enjoyment the will provide!!
6 reviews
February 25, 2022
Good series to read

The “Black Wolf” series is the first I have read of this author. I like the way Marsha developed her story using real historical data within the book. She gets a little too detailed in the gore of the period, making me glad I do not live during those times. However, I can skim to get past it. Very enjoyable to read!! Looking forward to reading some of her other books.
830 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2023
The Last Arrow

The story was wild. I just how you brought Robin Hood and his merry men to life. I was annoyed at the middle when you made Griffith an evil person. Glad he wasn't in the end.
208 reviews
February 16, 2024
Wonderful

Full of romance, excitement, drama, surprises, mystery.
It is astounding the story takes paths you will not expect. It boggles the mind. The reader gets lost in its magic.
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