Dauntless by Dina L. Sleiman | Review

Where Legend and History Collide, One Young Woman Will Fight for the Innocent

Born a baron’s daughter, Lady Merry Ellison is now an enemy of the throne after her father’s failed assassination attempt upon the king. Bold and uniquely skilled, she is willing to go to any lengths to protect the orphaned children of her former village–a group that becomes known as “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest.” Merry finds her charge more difficult as their growing notoriety brings increasing trouble their way.

Timothy Grey, ninth child of the Baron of Greyham, longs to perform some feat so legendary that he will rise from obscurity and earn a title of his own. When the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest are spotted in Wyndeshire, where he serves as assistant to the local earl, he might have found his chance. But when he comes face-to-face with the leader of the thieves, he’s forced to reexamine everything he’s known.

Dina Sleiman writes stories of passion and grace. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. Her debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion with Whitefire Publishing, won an Honorable Mention in the 2012 Selah Awards. Also look for her novels, Love in Three-Quarter Time and Dance from Deep Within, and her Valiant Hearts series coming with Bethany House Publishers in 2015. Dina serves as an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire as well, and she loves to represent them at writers conferences throughout the US. Join her as she discovers the unforced rhythms of grace. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/ (Photo by Silly Little Sparrow.)

The Writing…

The writing in Dauntless was beautiful. Dina. L Sleiman has a unique way with words and descriptions. They flow seamlessly and have a poetic-ness to them. I liked how she stayed true to the old fashioned way of speaking that fits with this story’s time period. She did a superb job of weaving together legend and history. The story was very believable to me, and I think that is thanks to the stellar writing. My only qualm was that some parts lagged, and I found myself skimming some of the longer internal monologues and backstory to get to the dialogue and action. Overall though is was a well-crafted story, and one I’d recommend for history buffs and fairy tale fanatics alike.

I also have to mention the short note from the author to her readers at the beginning of this novel. It was such an encouragement to me, and I believe other readers will have the same reaction.

The Story…

I really liked this take on the story of Robin Hood. The blurb says “where legend and history collide”, and that is the “practically perfect” way to word it. Plus the “Robin Hood” character in Dauntless is female, which made me connect with the story even more. I love a well-written, strong female heroine, and Lady Merry Ellison is definitely that. She begins the story as someone with a good head on her shoulders, and as the story progressed I only rooted for her more, especially as she opened up her heart and continued to grow in her faith.

I especially found Dauntless unique in that Lady Merry’s “men” are orphaned children. Think the lost boys from Peter Pan, but with a true role model to lead them. I always find it interesting when authors find their own style and voice in a tale that’s been told over and over. The story of Dauntless was fresh and different. Even if the plot was predictable at times, I was still interested and wanted to see what happened in the end.

Merry’s heart filled to the brim and burst over with love. She might never be able to close it again.” ~ Dina L. Sleiman, Dauntless

The Ending…

This was a very sweet romance. The ending tied things together nicely. I loved the last line. It was the PERFECT conclusion to Merry and Timothy’s story.

Recommendation…

Ages: 15 and older

For fans of:

I give Dauntless 4 out of 5 stars for being an enjoyable, inspirational read with authentic characters and a strong female heroine everyone can believe in.

Merry Ellison is a leader in this story. What do you think makes a good leader? I love hearing from you! Connect with me in the comments below or tweet to me @SaraEllaWrites. Until then, happy reading!

Disclosure:

I received Dauntless for review from The Bethany House Blogger Review Program. I was not asked to write a positive review. All views and opinions are solely and completely my own. I received no compensation other than a copy of Dauntless, which is mine to keep or gift as I so choose. Please note recommendations are just that, and are not meant to be the final word on age appropriateness and such. This post also contains affiliate links. To learn more, please read my full policy.