Defiant [Mass Market Paperback]

Kris Kennedy (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 26, 2011

A rogue knight and an enchanting renegade join forces to right old wrongs in award-winning author Kris Kennedy’s sizzling new medieval romance.

A warrior with questionable intentions . . .

Jamie Lost is the king’s most renowned commander, a fearless lieutenant ordered to kidnap an exiled priest before rebel forces close in. The mission is simple—until he meets a mysterious thief who will steal his quarry and then his heart.

A lady of remarkable courage . . .

Beautiful Eva is also seeking Father Peter, but she intends to protect him from a secret that could cost him his life. She senses that she, too, should fear Jamie—not just for his wickedly sharp sword and dangerously muscular body, but for the powerful longing he ignites within her.

A secret that could overthrow the king.

When a band of mercenaries abducts the priest, Jamie and Eva must form a volatile alliance. As civil war unfolds around them, they embark on an epic journey that betrays the truth about their hidden identities, their unexpected loyalties, and the simmering attraction that could seal their fates forever.

Editorial Reviews

Review

*Starred review* "Medieval England and its tumultuous history is the backdrop for this daring romance....The love story is both sensual and charming, with flirtatious and sizzling encounters. Kennedy has a way with words, and the witty banter between Jamie and Eva is a great pleasure to read." ~ Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Award-winning author Kris Kennedy has written The Conqueror,  The Irish Warrior, Defiant and Pocket's upcoming Deception (Aug, '12).  She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and writes steamy historical romances for Pocket Books.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (April 26, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439195900
• ISBN-13: 978-1439195901
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kris writes hot, adventure-filled historical romances set in England and Ireland. Her latest release, DECEPTION received 4 1/2 stars from RT Book Reviews and their K.I.S.S. award for its half-Irish, con man hero, Kier. Visit her website http://www.kriskennedy.net/ to sign-up for the newsletter, read exclusive excerpts, or just drop Kris a note!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story, but I had some issues April 26, 2011

By Jen TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Jamie and Eva are both on the hunt for Father Peter. The priest has been kidnapped by a man commissioned by rebels to relieve King Henry of the throne. Jamie is one of the king's men and is trying to get to the priest to bring him to Henry. Eva wants to rescue Father Peter, because he helped raise her and she believes she owes him her life.

Even though they want him for their own reasons, Jamie and Eva end up working together to find the priest. Jamie has a dark reputation as a powerful soldier, but there are secrets behind his recklessness and violence. Eva is wily and street-wise. She had to be, since she practically raised herself and her young ward Roger over the past 10 years. While the two start off as oil and water, an attraction is constantly growing between them. And the more they fall for each other, the faster the secrets between them unravel.

I had some serious issues with the language in this book. I'm not even sure how to describe it. Let me give you an example:

"Yet not withstanding all these sensible notions, Eva was engulfed like a wick by the bright, burning knowledge that the more Jamie knew of her, the more her life would become... irrevocable. Eva lived for revocability. Decisions were nothing but footprints in the sand: everything could be washed away. At need, Eva revoked opinions, plans, pennies, entire personal histories."

It's verbose. And it feels a bit pretentious. I suppose, for a historical, I can understand why the characters might need to talk in an affected manner, but in the narrative it was too much. On several occasions, it took me out of the story, because I was spending more time thinking about the words than their meaning.

The story itself was middle-of-the-road.... There was adequate action and intrigue. But hands-down, the best thing the book had going for it was the love-scenes. Here, the author leaves any cumbersome language behind and wraps you up in a thick layer of hotness. (Two thumbs up on the sex!) The ending is both solid and satisfying. 3 stars. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Action-Packed and Sexy Medieval April 30, 2011

By BevPet

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The first line of this book drew me in and I wasn't able to stop reading. It's the reign of King John, a very dangerous time to live, when having the wrong blood can result in having your throat slit.

Both the hero, Jamie, and the heroine, Eva, are searching for the same man, although for vastly different reasons and their uneasy alliance is underscored by Jamie's undeniable ability to kill. He also has several other abilities, and the sexual tension crackles. The buildup starts from the first page and is unrelenting. This man is hot. Eva doesn't trust him and rightly so, and her fear of his big hand on her neck-is it a caress or a death hold?--had me flipping pages.

The dialogue is clever with no wasted words and I could almost smell the stench of the streets along with the beauty of the countryside. There's lots of action, history and intrigue, but the buildup between Jamie and Eva is what had me spellbound. It's the kind of book you could lend to someone and be confident they'd enjoy it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Had me from the first line! June 19, 2011

By Isis R

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Kris Kennedy roped me in with the first line. It was so unexpected.

I really enjoyed the layers to this story and the secrets the characters try to keep. Eva was not only smart, she was also clever. Part of the thrill was getting to know more about her. Jamie, strong and good-looking, thinks he can handle her. Boy, oh, boy is he wrong. Kennedy had a lot of action to balance the steamy scenes, which I thought were all well done! It says a lot about an author's skill when you can visualize the scenes as they unfold.

I'll read more by this author.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Lush historical details and exciting intrigue made for a thrilling story. But April 27, 2011

By Bookaholics Reviewer

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Defiant by Kris Kennedy
Historical Romance -April 26th, 2011
3 ˝ stars

Defiant is set in the period of King John and the author handles the time period masterfully. I was captured by the political intrigue as characters maneuver for power and will do anything to get it!

In Defiant, Jamie Lost has been commanded by King John to retrieve a rebellious priest named Father Peter. Father Peter is in possession of sensitive documents that he wants. However, Jamie soon finds that he is not the only one searching for the priest. He meets a beautiful and mysterious woman will also do anything to get him for herself.

Eva is a fugitive but her adopted uncle is in danger. Soon she finds herself at cross purposes against some very deadly and dangerous men, amongst them the dashing and attractive Jamie Lost. Jamie plans to take her uncle to the King while Eva wants to whisk her uncle away from England and to safety. Both of them settle on an uneasy alliance to find Father Peter, but will their budding attraction get in the way?

I liked how the author goes back to the times of the exciting Magna Carta. The action, intrigue and devious characters make for a wonderful storyline. The search for Father Peter by these numerous characters is thrilling. Strangely, I enjoyed all of the interactions with the characters except those between the hero and heroine. As they confront each other, the author tries to give the main characters clever dialogue. However, the dialogue is overly elaborate and felt unnatural and awkward to read. I did enjoy the challenges each of the main characters faced as they tried to outwit each other are vastly entertaining.

Lush historical details and exciting intrigue made for a thrilling story.... But the somewhat stilted interactions between the main characters made the book a bit uneven.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club Read more ›