Review and Giveaway: "Days of Sun & Glory" by Anna Belfrage

Synopsis: Adam de Guirande has barely survived the aftermath of Roger Mortimer’s rebellion in 1321. When Mortimer manages to escape the Tower and flee to France, anyone who has ever served Mortimer becomes a potential traitor – at least in the eyes of King Edward II and his royal chancellor, Hugh Despenser. Adam must conduct a careful balancing act to keep himself and his family alive. Fortunately, he has two formidable allies: Queen Isabella and his wife, Kit. England late in 1323 is a place afflicted by fear. Now that the king’s greatest traitor, Roger Mortimer, has managed to evade royal justice, the king and his beloved Despenser see dissidents and rebels everywhere – among Mortimer’s former men, but also in the queen, Isabella of France.

Their suspicions are not unfounded. Tired of being relegated to the background by the king’s grasping favourite, Isabella has decided it is time to act – to safeguard her own position, but also that of her son, Edward of Windsor. As Adam de Guirande has pledged himself to Prince Edward he is automatically drawn into the queen’s plans – whether he likes it or not.

Yet again, Kit and Adam are forced to take part in a complicated game of intrigue and politics. Yet again, they risk their lives – and that of those they hold dear – as the king and Mortimer face off. Once again, England is plunged into war – and this time it will not end until either Despenser or Mortimer is dead.
Days of Sun and Glory is the second in Anna Belfrage’s series, The King’s Greatest Enemy, the story of a man torn apart by his loyalties to his lord, his king, and his wife.

 My Thoughts: I am so happy to be have Kit and Adam back in my life!  It feels like it's been forever since the last book came out.  This is the 10th book I've read by Anna Belfrage and once again it's a winner!

I enjoyed watching Kit and Adam grow into their marriage and create a really solid partnership.  There are a lot of highs and lows for them in the story but at the end of the day, they were always still there for each other.  I love the little family they've created, not just with their children but with their retainers and extended family members.  I also love their stubborn personalities; it's hilarious to watch them butt heads with each other.

I know I've said this before but Ms. Belfrage creates some nasty villains.  Despenser...UGH.  Could someone be anymore vile?  He was such a despicable character and I just kind of loved to hate him.  I did almost feel bad for him in the end but probably not as much as I should have.

There were a lot of political machinations going on in this book; people conspiring with and against each other seem to serve as a foreshadowing of events to come.  I think Ms. Belfrage did a really good job of laying the groundwork for what will probably in future books.  I know a bit about the historical events but I'm eager to see how Kit and Adam will fit in and what will happen to them and their family.

Days of Sun and Glory is the continuation of a really good story with great characters but what really stood out to me with this particular book is the attention to historical detail.  It was very clear that Ms. Belfrage has done quite a bit of research for this book and I think it made for a very rich tale.  I am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series!  4 stars.

About the Author:

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a professional time-traveller. As such a profession does as yet not exists, she settled for second best and became a financial professional with two absorbing interests, namely history and writing. These days, Anna combines an exciting day-job with a large family and her writing endeavours.

When Anna fell in love with her future husband, she got Scotland as an extra, not because her husband is Scottish or has a predilection for kilts, but because his family fled Scotland due to religious persecution in the 17th century – and were related to the Stuarts. For a history buff like Anna, these little details made Future Husband all the more desirable, and sparked a permanent interest in the Scottish Covenanters, which is how Matthew Graham, protagonist of the acclaimed The Graham Saga, began to take shape.

Set in 17th century Scotland and Virginia/Maryland, the series tells the story of Matthew and Alex, two people who should never have met – not when she was born three hundred years after him. With this heady blend of romance, adventure, high drama and historical accuracy, Anna hopes to entertain and captivate, and is more than thrilled when readers tell her just how much they love her books and her characters.

Presently, Anna is hard at work with her next project, a series set in the 1320s featuring Adam de Guirande, his wife Kit, and their adventures and misfortunes in connection with Roger Mortimer’s rise to power. The King’s Greatest Enemy is a series where passion and drama play out against a complex political situation, where today’s traitor may be tomorrow’s hero, and the Wheel of Life never stops rolling.

The first installment in the Adam and Kit story, In the Shadow of the Storm, was published in 2015. The second book, Days of Sun and Glory, will be published in July 2016.

Other than on her website, www.annabelfrage.com, Anna can mostly be found on her blog, http://annabelfrage.wordpress.com – unless, of course, she is submerged in writing her next novel. You can also connect with Anna on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Giveaway

To win a copy of Days of Sun & Glory by Anna Belfrage, please enter via the Gleam form below.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on September 29th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
– Only one entry per household.
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– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
 
 Enter HERE.

I received this book from HFVBT and the author in exchange for an honest review.