Forced into marriage by the King!

Synopsis

She must marry the knight

By order of the king!

Widow Eleanor of Tallany Castle knows her people are broken by the taxes demanded by King John. So when she’s ordered to marry Hugh de Villiers, a knight loyal to the king, she’s furious—even if he is handsome! As gallant Hugh begins to heal the scars of Eleanor’s abusive first marriage, she’s even more determined to keep her secret: she is the outlaw the king wants to send to the gallows!

My review

Widow Eleanor of Tallany Castle is rather happy with her life. She is not attached to a man, and does her best to help her people who are paying taxes demanded by King John.
But when that same King forces her to marry Hugh de Villiers, a knight loyal to the King, she makes it clear she will not just kneel for her husband.
She got away from a first abusive husband and will not allow a second one to do the same!
Hugh is also on a mission: to find the outlaw the King wants to send to the gallows.
This means that Eleanor must keep her secret at any cost, as she is that outlaw!

I love stories where women are not just ‘weak’, jumping at every word said by a man.
So I enjoyed reading this story!

Eleanor is a strong woman, not letting anyone dictate her life. Even when she is forced to marry Hugh, she complies, but that’s how far she will go. Having already had an abusive husband, she will not just allow another stranger to do the same thing all over again.
She keeps Hugh at a distance, letting him clearly know how she feels about this arrangement. And she will not give up her life for him!
She is also a rebel, being the outlaw the King is looking for. Even if it’s against the law, this shows how deeply Eleanor cares about the wellbeing of her people.
She will go very far to do the right thing.

And Hugh.. he truly surprised me. Being a knight, I imagined he would be a real Alpha. His word is law and his wife will listen to him, and as often, the wife will embrace the life of a kind of submissive. Well, that were my expectations, but Hugh was totally the opposite!

Through the story we get to know him as a caring man. He respects Eleanor and her boundaries. Yet he makes it clear that he will woo her, even if they are already married.
A man willing to seduce his wife, even if it wouldn’t be necessary, as they are already married, well, it’s truly swoon – material!
Also the fact that he won’t push her to “consummate” their wedding, shows what an amazing man he is!

While they are getting closer, I was curious to see what the reaction would be once the secret was out. And here Hugh again showed what a man he is.

This story is about doing the right thing, opening your heart, and also admitting that you were wrong. But also about protecting the ones you care about, being the people of your village, your servants and even the person you married!