"Dangerous Beauty" by Melissa Koslin

Liliana Vela hates the term victim. She's not a victim, she's a fighter. Stubborn and strong with a quiet elegance, she's determined to take back her life after escaping the clutches of human traffickers in her poor Mexican village. But she can't stay safely over the border in America--unless the man who aided in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her. Meric Toledan was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Assessing the situation, he steps in to rescue Liliana from traffickers. If he can keep his secrets at bay, his wealth and position afford him many resources to help her. But the mysterious buyer who funded her capture will not sit idly by while his prize is stolen from him.

I really liked this book; it was balanced really well with suspense and character growth. Though there moments of suspense interspersed throughout the story, it wasn't constant danger all the time--there was enough downtime to give Liliana a chance to breathe, and a chance to heal; time to get to know Meric and to figure out how to live again after what she'd been through. And more, she is given agency--part of it is how Meric lets her choose her own path at her own pace, but the greater part is how she steps out to help others who were in her position. She could have safely hidden away from all threats in Meric's penthouse apartment, but she chooses to step back into that fear to rescue others.

Meric is a tough nut to crack; he's the sort that doesn't share his emotions, and he doesn't want to say or do anything that could interfere with Liliana's healing. I did really respect how careful he was of her at the beginning, that he knew how to be as safe as possible around a woman who'd been sexually assaulted and had no reason to trust any man, let alone one that understands violence. And it becomes clear why he doesn't share everything he does, but it also becomes clear just how wounded he himself is from his--or more importantly, his mother's--past.

Thank you Revell and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

"Worthy of Legend" by Roseanna M White - Secrets of the Isles, book 3

After a summer of successful pirate-treasure hunting, Lady Emily Scofield and her friends must hide the unprecedented discoveries they've made, thanks to the betrayal of her own family. Horrified by her brother, who stops at nothing to prove himself to their greedy father, Emily is forced to take a stand against her family--even when it means being cut off entirely. Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, is fascinated with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table--an interest he's kept mostly hidden for the last decade. But when a diary is unearthed on the islands that could lead to a secret artifact, Bram is the only one able to piece the legends together. As Bram and Emily seek out the whereabouts of the hidden artifact, they must dodge her family and a team of archeologists. In a race against time, it is up to them to decide what makes a hero worthy of legend. Is it fighting valiantly to claim the treasure . . . or sacrificing everything in the name of selfless love?

This was an exciting conclusion to the Secrets of the Isles series; it makes a fun progression from focus on a pirate to an exiled pirate prince to none other than a knight of the Round Table (with treasure hidden accordingly). I'm fairly familiar with Arthurian legends (Gerald Morris's young adult series The Squire's Tales informed me of some of the more obscure ones, and gave me an appreciation for how ridiculous they can be), but Tristan and Iseult is not one I've spent a lot of time pursuing--I'm just not one for doomed romance (or poor life choices). But this story redeemed Tristan a bit for me.

Not that the story was that heavily about Arthurian legend; the focus is, of course, on Bram and Emily, and trying to keep ahead of her odious brother in all the treasure hunts. They have  sweet love story, a bit slower than the others. Bram impressed me with his insight into people, such as truly seeing Emily and her struggles that not even her best friend totally picked up on. It certainly felt like the whole island chain was coupling off by this book, but I would absolutely accept a follow-up story about Millie--I mean, Millicent--and the American Dutchman (to be honest, they had more chemistry than the leads. Granted, it was leaping off the paper from the very first scene they are together).

This book did have a really solid point about mercy--that those who need mercy most are those who deserve it the least. But, as a scene reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade proves, you can't force people to accept it. (There's really a nice allegory here for those who question why a loving God doesn't save everyone from hell; it's not spelled out as such in the story, but it's very present). 

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Secrets of the Isles
1. The Nature of a Lady
2. To Treasure an Heiress
3. Worthy of Legend