Ai Li, a nobleman’s daughter, is betrothed to a powerful warlord in order to form an alliance against threats to the Empire. She believes her betrothed is a traitor and she plans to escape on the way to her wedding.
While trying to get home to warn her family, she meets western (Turkish) mercenary Ryam – a real tough guy, loner type. He’s a wanted man, but he reluctantly agrees to accompany Ai Li back to her family.
As a foreigner he is seen as a barbarian, the lowest of the low. It is dangerous for them to be seen together, yet they are drawn to one another. They spend the journey fighting their attraction, as well as the forces of Ai Li’s bethrothed who are hot on their heels. They believe that they will both be safe once Ai Li returns to her family. As you can guess, they are wrong.
Set in the Middle Ages in China (for reference, three hundred years after the fall of the Roman Empire in Europe) this was a refreshing read. I don’t have a lot of knowledge about the history and culture of China in this time period and I really enjoyed the story. The author’s descriptions and use of dialogue provide the right amount of detail regarding the speech, manners, clothing, countryside and setting. I felt fully immersed in the scenes from the start.
The characters are very likeable. Both of them are warriors and skilled in sword play. They are from very different worlds, but they both possess a deep sense of integrity which guides them in their choices. I enjoyed the tension it created as it battled with their attraction to each other.
This story has good feels, action, and heat, but there were places where I felt the writing could be a little more polished. Other than that, I would definitely like to read more romances set in this time period and country.
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
