Dauntless (Valiant Hearts #1) by Dina Sleiman

Summary
Lady Merry Ellison was born the daughter of a baron, but when her family is accused of betraying the king, they, along with the nearby villagers, are slaughtered.  Merry and fellow villagers who survive form a band, stealing food and money to stay alive, but only from those who can spare it.  Unintentionally, they become known as the “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forrest.”  This group is brought to the forefront of King John’s attention when the group steals gold meant for him.

Timothy Grey, Merry’s former betrothed and ninth child of the Baron of Greyham, has determined to catch the legendary “Ghosts of Farthingale Forrest” so that he can obtain a title of his own.  When Timothy searches for and discovers the “ghosts,” he is shocked to find Merry, whom he thought was dead, as their leader.  Will Timothy betray Merry to gain a title or will he choose love instead?

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Author Information
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.

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Review
Originally an adult author, Dina L. Sleiman has branched out to write young adult fiction as well.  Having never before read her adult novels, I was greatly impressed by this remixed story of Robin Hood.  Dina has presented well-developed characters and an excellent story line.  Knowing this novel was a new version of Robin Hood, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was met with excitement and adventure from the first chapter of the book which caught and held my attention.  I would recommend this novel to those that enjoy retold versions of stories as well as adventure and a little bit of romance.

Series: Valiant Hearts
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication date: March 3, 2015
Age: 12+
Grade Level: 7th+
Genre: adventure; historical fiction; fantasy; romance

Other books in this series:
2-Chivalrous (September 8, 2015)

Dina Sleiman reads Dauntless.