Defiant-Jessica Trapp

Defiant
Jessica Trapp
Zebra, Dec 1 2010, $6.99
ISBN: 9781420100952

Jared St. John escapes from jail and an obvious execution for the murder of his brother. He has no time to grieve his sibling as he must find a way to prove his innocence beyond a shadow of a doubt and uncover the real culprit before he is killed. However, he fails to reach home because someone abducts him after drugging him. He is forced to marry Gwyneth of Windrose, whom he met years ago and was attracted to her back then.

Gwyneth was given a choice between a husband and poverty; as remaining unmarried meant losing her lands. She selected Jared as he reminded her of a kind monk who gave to her a book several years ago. Jared rages in hopelessness not just because she kidnapped him and married him, but because he is attracted to her and admires her grit. As they fall in love working her land together, she continues her efforts to help accused innocent women from being sentenced into slavery. However, when he perceives his beloved betrayed him, he wants nothing more to do with her. His rejection puts his wife in peril.

This is an enjoyable medieval romance with a great twist that brings a uniqueness rarely seen in the sub-genre. Fast-paced from the moment Gwyneth ties Jared to her cot and never slowing down, fans will enjoy the love story of the defiant ones as each understands imprisonment and the craving for freedom as well as each other.

Harriet Klausner