Steelheart: De Lohr Dynasty

MEDIEVAL:  It’s 1192 A.D. and David De Lohr has just returned to England from the Crusades to find his home is not as safe as it was when he’d left it. King Richard the Lionheart has gone missing and his brother John is quickly and violently removing all those who are loyal to the king. David and his brother are determined to hold John at bay until the king returns. Emilie Hampton finds herself embroiled in the middle of a power struggle and in constant need of a knight in shining armor, which comes in the form of David. Though David is avidly against marriage and is afraid of the way Emilie makes him feel, which causes constant turmoil between them, Emilie’s love won’t allow her to give up on him.

Ms. Le Veque’s story of turmoil and romance spans years, but the constant action, well-written medieval political intrigue, and complex characters make this a fast-paced read. Though this can be read as a standalone, there are many references to happenings in a previous book, “Rise of the Defender”, with which this book shares a timeline and that may be lost on a reader who has not read the previous novel. Editing was also severely lacking. Despite this, Ms. Le Veque has written a fascinating story with well-developed characters readers will fall in love with and root for.

Molly Daniels