"The Vow" by Jody Hedlund

[reviewsbyerin]

When I heard that Christian historical romance author Jody Hedlund was going to be branching out into young adult medieval fiction, I was excited and curious as to how that would work out. "The Vow" is a prequel novella to her March 2015 full-length release; in other words, it's a 7-chapter prologue. That's important for you to know. I wouldn't recommend reading this as a stand-alone, but if you plan to read "An Uncertain Choice," you might find it worth your time and the $1.99 price tag.

The year is 1386, and Lady Rosemarie is the only child of a wealthy landowner. At age 14 she is beginning to think seriously about ruling her lands one day, as well as finding the right young man who will help her with her task. She is already receiving attention from Thomas, the son of a neighboring lord, and her parents seem to approve as their relationship grows closer.

When the dreaded plague breaks out, Rosemarie is sent to the nearby abbey in order to avoid exposure. Rosemarie chafes against the protection of the monks and the seclusion from her parents and her people. When she is finally allowed to go back to the manor, Rosemarie discovers that before her birth her parents took a vow that will change every expected course for her future. It's a unique twist that took me by surprise!

Similar to the other Hedlund novella I reviewed last week, I found this story lacking the polish that comes with a full-length novel. This could also be because the heroine is at this point a young teenager with some annoying habits and a sureness that she has the correct view on life at such a young age. I thought these problems mostly resolved themselves in "An Uncertain Choice," which was a relief.

As stated earlier, I wouldn't recommend this novella on its own, as it is a prologue which will leave you hanging and unsatisfied unless you have the follow-up on hand. Thankfully I did, and stay tuned for that review in the near future.