Duty: First Novel of Rhynan

Rachel Rossano

Jan 2015 · Rachel Rossano

About this ebook

Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman. 

Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a dire winter if they do not find a solution soon. When she learns her cousin sold her into marriage to save his life, she isn’t surprised. However, she is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier?

Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and villains from the past. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other. Failure could mean death.

Ratings and reviews

A powerful Medieval drama that keeps one breathless from beginning to end, this novel had me intrigued and spellbound. I love the main characters, their determination and strength, and the fact that they do not waiver from their values in the face of betrayal. Faced with being over-run by the enemy is something that every community dreads, where the winner takes all and the lives of the people are in the hands of soldiers. Most times it goes really badly for them, but in this instance, Tomas Dyrease proves to be an honourable and wise leader, and the rules he lays down for his men win the approval of the villagers. Brielle Solarius, the daughter of the previous Earl, has been working alongside the people of the village to keep heart and soul together before she discovers that her conniving cousin has sold her off to Tomas to save his own skin. What seems to be a dire situation in fact turns out to be one of the best things that has ever happened to Brielle, if it were not for the fact that Tomas is facing enemies of his own. I found this well-written book difficult to put down and it kept me entranced. Although part of a series it is a standalone and I was so glad that it came to a successful conclusion. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.

About the author

Rachel Rossano is a happily married mother of three children. She spends her days teaching, mothering, and keeping the chaos at bay. After the little ones are in bed, she immerses herself in the fantasy worlds of her books. Tales of romance, adventure, and virtue set in a medieval fantasy world are her preference, but she also writes speculative fantasy and a bit of science fiction.