An Uncertain Choice {by Jody Hedlund}

Title: An Uncertain Choice

Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: YA Historical
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Source: eARC via NetGalley

 

Due to her parents' promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, a month before her birthday, a friend of her father's enters the kingdom and proclaims her parents' will left a second choice. If Rosemarie can marry before the eve of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow.
Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the competition for her heart seemingly results in a knight playing foul, she begins to wonder if the cloister is the best place after all. If only one of the knights the one who appears the most guilty had not already captured her heart.

 

Guys, I loved this book so much. It was cute, sweet, and romantic. I love my medieval stories, and knights. I've heard this being called a "medieval Bachelorette" story, which kind of sounds terrible (since I hate the show) but it was actually a lot of fun.



Rosemarie has been promised to the convent on her 18th birthday. Since her parents' deaths, she has been focused on ruling her people kindly and fairly, and not on suitors, since she is not allowed to marry. It's taken her years to come to peace with this decision, but she has. Until that is thrown in disarray by the discovery of a loophole: if she marries before her 18th birthday, she is saved from the vow. So, her father's friend the duke brings three of his noblest knights, and asks her to at least give them a shot. If, by the end of the month, she hasn't fallen in love with any of them, she can enter the convent as planned. And so, Rosemarie agrees.

I loved Rosemarie. Although there was some question of whether historically, a underage girl would have been allowed to keep her lands and rule them, I did appreciate that the author tried to keep this historically accurate. She didn't have full power, and she had those that advised her, and we also saw those that did not believe she could rule, and would try to undermine her. But Rosemarie has a kind heart. She does whatever she can for the poor, even giving her own money. She wants to make life better for them. If anything, she is too trusting, and does let people walk all over her.

I did enjoy the knights, although of course we all know who was my favorite (the same one that has her heart). While some would say it is unrealistic to expect to fall in love in a month, these are people in times where most people wouldn't get the chance, since marriages were arranged among nobility. And I loved that their feelings for each other weren't instant, they developed over the month, and weren't based on shallow things. He pushed her to be a better ruler. He was also kind, concerned for the poor, and selfless. While I did like the other two knights, it was mostly for the comic relief they provided. I did love the dynamic between the three, and how they were there for each other, even while competing.

But everything isn't all roses and sunshine. While the guilty party was kind of predictable and easy to guess, it was still suspenseful and exciting. I managed to fly through the book, because it was well-written and kept my interest, but also had me needing to know what would happen next for Rosemarie. I actually have no idea how I missed that this was series, but I am definitely glad to be getting more.

This review can also be found on   
 

Jody Hedlund:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads