DarkWolfe: de Wolfe Pack, Book 5

HISTORICAL:  Reivers have taken over a Scottish tower belonging to Red Keith Kerr, and they are using it to steal from the locals. Troy de Wolfe and his family and clansmen are there to remove the reivers and claim the tower.  Red Kerr doesn’t have the manpower to staff the tower, but he doesn’t admit this, and leaves the de Wolfe family to think he wants it back.  He challenges their best warrior to a battle against his best warrior--his daughter, Rhoswyn Kerr.  Rhoswyn doesn’t know how to be a lady, but does know how to be a warrior. When Troy discovers his opponent is a woman, he is taken aback and loses the challenge, and is forced to marry Rhoswyn.

Troy and Rhoswyn are clearly conflicted.  Troy lost his wife and two young daughters in a drowning accident and vows to never love again.  He is lonely, but has stayed true to her memory since the accident two years earlier.  Rhoswyn feels betrayed by her father when he foists her off on Troy without any warning.  She is unequipped to run a home; she’d rather be fighting!  She has never known kindness or femininity.  Her struggle to learn simple tasks like bathing and baking bread are entertaining.  The plot is paced perfectly and the narrator brings these characters to life in a believable way.

Brad Wills does an amazing job vocalizing the various characters.  It is clear who is speaking at all times, and there are distinct shifts in tone and accent and cadence to help differentiate each of the characters.  The production quality is top-notch, without any evident mouth or background noises.  His accents and his ability to convey the emotion of the scene are very believable!

Carey Sullivan