من عند Pertominsk, Arkhangelskaya oblast', روسيا، 163550 من عند Pertominsk, Arkhangelskaya oblast', روسيا، 163550

This is a 3.5 for me. I really enjoyed it and will probably read more of her books. It is a medieval beautiful love story set near the Scottish border in England. I love the way this book begins with three witches stirring the pot (in more ways than one) and playing with the fate of Gillian and Christopher who have no idea the other exists. I had to remind myself throughout the book just who these people were and what had happened to them to make them who they are. Gillian could have irritated me many times had I not kept this in mind. At age 20 she has grown up in her cruel father's keep and never been outside of it. She never knew her mother and her beloved brother, who was only home occasionally, has died in battle. She has no friends and the servants, terrified of her father, have nothing to do with her thus she has never had a woman to talk to. She is the epitome of innocence and ignorance of the world only knowing the terror of offending her father in some way and the next beating. Her brother has taught her to use a sword and she practices in secret. Gillian's personality reminds me of stories of abused children locked in a closet only to see daylight when something bad is going to happen to them. Who she really is has had no chance to develop other than brief times with her brother. She overhears talk from the servants of superstition and evil, much of it regarding the devil's spawn himself, the Lord Blackmour. When Gillian is told during a beating that she is to be given in marriage to Blackmour, to her this is the kiss of death, and she is terrified. Christopher Blackmour is of course not the spawn of the devil but rather a good man who promised Gillian's brother that he would take care of his sister should anything happen to him. Christopher wants nothing less than a wife, but he honors his promise to his dead friend and has Gillian brought to his keep. Gillian discovers the first night the truth that he hides from everyone other than those closest to him that he is blind. She slowly as the book evolves discovered much more about this powerful knight who has had sight brutally taken away from him and what that has done to him. Any more would be a spoiler, but when reading and hoping these two would see things as the reader does, keep in mind that Gillian has nothing to base anything of life on and no reason to believe she is anything but a homely girl not deserving of any happiness. She is innocent to the point of having no idea what happens in the marriage bed which makes for interesting reading. I did love the way the three rather humorous witches are pulling the strings behind the scenes, loved Christopher's young squire, Jason and his devoted knight and friend, Colin. This is not a YA book but not overly graphic either. Some sex - they are married after all. There is action and an element of evil, obviously from Gillian's father. Overall a fun read.