A medieval fantasy story full of magic, royalty, knights, and elves, The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven by Jennifer Ivy Walker is sure to entertain lovers of fairytales and fantasy alike. The story begins with a young princess, Issylte, who is next in line for the throne. Trouble comes when her father chooses to marry an evil woman who treats Issylte cruelly. After the queen arranges to kill the young princess, the two huntsmen refuse and send her into the forest on her own. There, she meets a fairy witch who takes her in. As she learns about magic, she learns of her true mate, Tristian, a Knight of the Roundtable with a dark past and a love of being a warrior. Together they must save her kingdom from her evil stepmother.

The story was interesting and engaging. The characters’ relationships were well developed, and the aspects of magic were fascinating, as they included herbal remedies and other nonconventional kinds of magic. There are mature themes within the story, and it combines several different threads of fairytales and fantasy tropes.

The development of the main character Issylte was well done, as we see her go from scared and lost to strong and independent as the story progresses. The same is said of the other protagonist, Tristian. He gains more and more knowledge and friends as the story moves along. I feel the author tried too hard with the style of dialogue, it wasn’t exactly right for the period. I felt that tropes seemed overused at times, such as the mate bond between the two protagonists and elves in a medieval fairytale setting feeling off.

The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven is a riveting mix of fantasy, fairytale, and historical romance. Readers will find threads of old-time favorites with a unique twist and perspective. With magic, knights, and a wicked queen there is something for all readers who want mature content and a fascinating adventure.

Pages: 377| ASIN : B0B8XNMYBS

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/21/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven/