Under the Warrior's Protection (The House of Leofric #2) by Ella Matthews

ABOUT THE BOOK

Letting down her guard…
Might save her life…

With their family name in tatters, Katherine Leofric and her sister are headed for a new life at their brother’s estate. They are escorted by the hardened Jarin, Earl of Borwyn, whom Katherine believes is only after her dowry! Then her sister is abducted on their treacherous journey, and Katherine must rely on Jarin’s protection. Now, seeing a different side to the man she’s sworn to hate, it’s her heart that’s most at risk!

MY REVIEW

I was thrilled to read more about the Leofric siblings. Braeden is getting married to Ellena and taking his mistreated sisters, Katherine and Linota, to stay at Castle Swein with him and his new bride.

Katherine and Linota Leofric have been stared at and disparaged all their lives due to their father’s execution as a traitor. Katherine is determined to see her beautiful younger sister settled while she intends to find a life of freedom. After all, she is beyond the age to marry and she sees herself as too plain for anyone to consider her. Then she overhears the handsome and boorish Jarin Ashdown, the Earl of Borwyn, who is to escort the sisters to their new home, judge her family by her father’s misdeeds. Those are fighting words to Katherine until her sister is abducted and Katherine and Jarin have to band together to save Linota. This once rude man is showing her kindness and is protecting her at all costs. But she will sacrifice her happiness to save her sister’s reputation no matter how much it breaks her heart.

Jarin was losing money and he was forced to marry for a large dowry to save his estate. The younger Leofric sister is beautiful, but she doesn’t attract him physically. It’s his surly sister, Katherine, who he finds intriguing and when she smiles she takes his breath away. But he has a lot of apologizing to do to get into her good graces until Linota is kidnapped and he may be forced to marry the younger sister to save her reputation. Why does that idea not appeal to him?

I love enemies to lovers’ stories and Katherine and Jarin are that in spades. However, the attraction is immediate and watching them battle their feelings for each while trying to figure out why Linota was abducted kept me reading into the night. There were many reasons I liked Jarin. His vulnerable confession to Katherine about his cruel treatment by his deceased father is distressing and the conflict with the betrayals he has endured over the years is heartbreaking. Katherine has her own share of heartache living a reclusive life and enjoying every little bit of freedom she can find at Jarin’s displeasure for her safety.

The supporting characters are engaging and important to the story as well. Linota, Katherine’s sister, and Erik, Jarin’s childhood friend and steward, are part of an important backstory of their own which I hope to see in a future book to the series.

Overall, Ms. Matthews continues an absorbing and enjoyable series of blossoming romance, gripping intrigue, and unfolding secrets. If you love to see unsuspecting heroes fall hard for stubborn heroines, give this book a try.

Please read my review of Braeden and Ellena’s story in The Warrior Knight and the Widow.

Thank you to Ms. Matthews for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

House of Leofric Series

1. The Warrior Knight And The Widow (2020) – My review
2. Under The Warrior’s Protection (2020)
3. The Warrior’s Innocent Captive (2021) – My review

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else).