When a marriage is made for alliances, what can come from it?

Synopsis

Could the wrong bride…

Be right for him after all!

For the sake of his family name, Lord Robert must marry to seal an alliance with an Irish clan. Only, the woman at the altar isn’t who he was promised! Instead, it’s her sister, Lady Mairenn! The sharp-tongued Irish beauty is as reluctant to wed as Robert, but as friction turns to fire between them, she’s further derailing Robert’s plans for this purely pragmatic arrangement…

My review

Irish Lady Mairenn is ready to sacrifice her own happiness for her sister’s sake. Even if that means to help her sister run away to marry the man she loves, and even if that means that Mairenn has to take her place in marrying Englishman Lord Robert de Brunville.
Robert isn’t happy learning that he won’ be marrying the woman he was promised, but for the alliance made with Mairenn’s dying father, he has no choice.
Neither one of them is happy with the prospect of living together with someone ‘outside their clans’, but needs must and it’s crystal – clear from the start that their marriage will be purely a pragmatic one.
Yet somehow Mairenn gets under Robert’s skin and despite their dislike of each other, there seems to be something else lingering between them… 

It took me a while to recall the first book of the series, especially as I am a fan of this author, I couldn’t remember any of her books being part of a series that I have started but not yet finished. After a small research, my questions were answered as the first part was written by another, yet also just as amazing author that I also happen to be following! 😊
But if you pick up this book and haven’t read the first book, there is no need to panic, as you can perfectly read it as a standalone. 

There are characters that immediately show how kind, loving and unselfish they are. And Mairenn is one of them. She is ready to give up her own happiness, as that means that her sister Cliodhna can marry the man she truly loves.
But there is more to Mairenn than just kindness. She is also sassy, in a good way, and knows how to get things her way. She knows how to handle her father, who as a clan – leader has always been very strict, rigorous and put the clan’s need above everything.
Yet there is also the great tragedy that struck this family, and that pain is still palpable. And there are Mairenn’s own issues, making her believe she is less worthy, and even a weakness for the family. 

Nevertheless, I loved reading how outspoken she is, even towards strangers. She won’t let anyone dictate her, and she stands her ground. That for sure put a smile on my face, not only when she first meets Robert, but throughout the whole book.
Even if she is ‘just’ a Lady, she knows more about the clan and what to do in which situation than any other man around her. And that was never heard of before in those times, but so refreshing to read about! 

Robert wasn’t perhaps the easiest person to like at first. I found him a bit pompous, not ready to listen and I found it even a bit annoying that he wanted to do everything his way. it felt to me he had no respect of the Irish ways.
He also appears to be very rigid, showing no attempts to build bridges with his long – lost brother, and is set in his own way of thinking. 

But slowly we learn that also in his case there has been a great loss, something that bonds him with Mairenn.
Yet that doesn’t take away that he often clashes with his sharp – tongued wife, making us readers have the best of times!
And seeing him adapt to the Irish ways, to see him perhaps even unintentional listening to Mairenn and taking her advice, was good to read. Because the saying ‘behind every great man stands a strong woman’, isn’t just bollocks, isn’t it? 😊 

Great part of the story is about Robert and Mairenn finding not only each other, but also themselves. They learn to trust each other, they learn to rely on each other, they learn to share their physical and emotional pains.
But there is also room for betrayal of a terrible kind, a great fight and fear. And still, we also see loyalty in those darkest moments… 

This was once again a great story to read. Mostly it’s at a calm pace, but gives you more time to fully understand both characters, where they come from and what they have been through and how they mature as they have found unexpectedly an ally with each other.
We see that no matter over how many things they think differently and clash more than anything else, they also see that love can bring many good things, and that love opens their heart in a way they didn’t think it could. 

And even if yes, the ending is predictable, does it truly matter when we can see that even in time of Knights and Maidens, love is a powerful thing that can turn the fiercest warrior into a gentle man and the most outspoken maiden into a woman ready to fight for her man.