Favor of the King

HISTORICAL:  Just seventeen years old, Emma Misseldon’s life is one of strife, struggle, and starvation. Caught stealing from the king’s palace in order to pay for her mother’s healing, she fully expects to be hung for her crime. Instead, she catches the eye of the king. When he makes her an offer she can’t refuse, Emma discovers that life at the palace isn’t the fairy tale ending one would expect… and with the lives of her family on the line, she’s trapped.

Caedmon Cruz doesn’t usually care to be associated with the King’s mistresses, but Emma isn’t ordinary, and soon their mutual distrust blossoms into romance.  When Caedmon disappears on the warfront, the broken-hearted Emma is strong-armed into marrying the king and discovers firsthand what a cruel tyrant is truly like. Caught in an abusive marriage, unable to be with the man she loves, Emma spirals into despair. How can she save the kingdom when she can’t even protect herself? 

Ms. Jamison writes with passion, creating a dark world of intrigue, brutal violence, and the innocent beauty of unexpected true love. Unfortunately, the narrative suffers from poor construction and a frequent misuse of words (a tortured prisoner ‘thrives’ on the rack, for example). The story’s setting is half-way between fantasy land and historical Europe, which adds to the confusion. With some correction, “Favor” would be a grand, intense story about hope and good overcoming evil.

Janice Martin