The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge ~ Review

Back Blurb :

At the mercy of her enemy!

Abducted by Saxon outlaws, Constance Arnaud comes face to face with Aelric, a Saxon boy she once loved. He’s now her enemy, but Constance must reach out to this rebel and persuade him to save her life as she once saved his. . .

Aelric is determined to seek vengeance on the Normans who destroyed his family. Believing Constance deserted him, he can never trust her again. Yet, as they are thrown together and their longing for each other reignites, will Aelric discover that love is stronger than revenge?

My View :

My goodness, how much do I like this?

I haven’t read a Historical Romance from this period before, for some reason, I just never thought about trying a Medieval Romance, how wrong I was. This is just so unbelievably good. The story is incredible Constance and Aelric are on opposite sides Constance is a Norman and Aelric is a Saxon, both are supposed to hate each other and yet deep down they are soul mates. This reminds me so much of Tristan and Isolde, which is one of the most romantic stories ever, two love birds stuck in the centre of two warring clans, separated by who and what they are.

As a boy Aelric’s entire family is brutally murdered by the evil Lord De Cordrey, the only thing that stops the evil De Courdrey from killing Aelric is the pleading of his childhood sweetheart and sister-in-law of De Courdrey; Constance. She puts her very life on the line to help Aelric with horrific consequences for herself.

Years later Aelric is now Caddoc the Fierce, leader of a little band of outlaws, living on the fringes of his once home and gutting for revenge against the man who destroyed his life. He is now a hard, cold fierce warrior with nothing but vengeance for his family coursing through his veins. One day Caddoc gets the wind that there is an item being taken to De Courdrey, this item is said to be of utmost importance and alas Caddoc thinks he has finally found a way to destroy De Courdrey. The only problem is that the very thing that Caddoc wants to use against De Courdrey turns out to be the girl who saved his life and the girl who also broke his heart.

“When I played, why did you weep?” Aelric asked.

Constance stepped towards him. The memory made tears spring into her eyes. Blinking sent them trickling down her cheeks and there were more than she had expected.

“Because I know your heart is not as dead as you would have me believe.”

Aelric dipped his head. His lips moved, but no sound emerged. When he lifted his face his brow was furrowed,. He took her face between his hands and with a thumb wiped the tears gently away.

“I don’t understand”

They were closer now, without Constance being aware that either of them had moved. Heat rose from Aelrics body. The need to touch him was overpowering and she was certain he would not resist.

“No one could sing as you did unless there was true emotion within him. Not just hatred. There is more to you than that, deny it all you might. I saw it tonight and it gave me hope for you.”

Constance has had her share of hardship, beaten and abused by De Courdrey sold off for marriage where she was treated just as badly by her supposed husband and now she is widowed all she wants is to spend the rest of her life in peace without fear. But her peace never comes as she is dragged into a conspiracy that has her kidnapped, threatened and in fear for her very life. That is until she finds herself face to face with the boy she had loved and lost.

The chemistry between our two leads just sizzles off the page, even when they are arguing and when they are looking at each other with pure unbridled hatred they still sizzle, they are just an incredible pair. They are both strong-willed, intelligent, caring and vulnerable. They are both so fragile that it breaks your heart to witness as they try to get past their own horrific pasts and try as they might to make a future for themselves and for each other. And yet the fact that they are both just so stubborn and bull-headed sort of even their vulnerability.

“My loyalty is to you,” Aelric asked, he seized hold of her hands and held them tightly against his chest. “You not meant for the cloister, to spend your days in sackcloth in a dreary cell.”

“What am I meant for?” she asked, his touch was setting her senses a flame.

Life and light. Days in the sun.”

Days in the sun you say?” Constance said, a smile beginning to bloom on her lips, she raised her face and looked at him frankly.”And what of my nights? Where should I spend those?”

He wove his arms around her waist.

“The nights you’ll spend with me. In my bed.” He kissed her. . .

Elisabeth Hobbes has created a magical and atmospheric tale of loss, love and hope, I think what really makes this a winner for me is the amount of historical detail, this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill love story, it is bloody and gory and you get a true sense of how dark and scary and difficult this era was.

The Saxon Outlaws Revenge is brilliant. Beautifully written, the best love story for an age, it is sexy, intelligent and one of those rare gems that can be enjoyed by not just avid Historical Romance fans but by everyone and I cannot recommend this enough.

This really is breathtaking.