The Outsider

Characters had a nice story, and was fully able to be read even having not read any of the previous books. I enjoy the author and seeing a different style within her genre. was the perfect distraction after a bed bound injury I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I got an early copy for a review and as i didnt want to wait to see if the rerelease was as good as I remember my old copy i lost in a move i jumped for it. It was just as good as it was back then. It is my favorite kind of book the kind that just gets better with rereading. The notes fall just as well on later read and it still feels new as you notice things you missed the times before. So if you want a book that draws you in and makes you want to read again and again this books for you.

Stunning romance set amid an exciting battle for the thrones! Married while they were still children, Adara and Christian were destined to unite their kingdoms when they grew up and assumed their respective thrones. Unfortunately tragedy upon tragedy kept that from happening for a couple decades. Now queen of her country, Adara must track her husband clear across Europe and force him to claim his throne in order to protect her own. Christian owes his very life to the Brotherhood and is quite content to continue serving its mission and his brothers. He has neither the time nor the inclination to return to the tiny country of his birth, and even less desire to acknowledge the marriage that this beautiful royal stranger insists is real. Still, he's gentleman enough to save her life when assassins find them, and he quickly realizes that the situation is not one he can ignore if he wants to stay alive. This is an exciting tale of usurpers and assassins, heroes and villains, but it's also a beautiful love story between two people who were never given the option to choose each other, much less anyone else. Adara struggles to find the man she hoped to find in the scarred and bitter warrior bearing her husband's emblem, while Christian is determined not to let any woman, much less an entire kingdom, tie him to one place and a predetermined future. He attempts to keep his heart securely locked up but Adara proves to be the kind of woman he simply can't say no to. But she's no simpering damsel. She knows what she needs, what her kingdom needs, and she won't settle for anything less than everything. The timeline follows the previous book, The Champion, almost immediately. We got to know Christian very well in that book, so it's a joy to see this book complete both his background and his HEA. The action starts from the very first scene, and barely lets up along the way. I absolutely adored Lutien - what a terrific character, one who adds so much insight and depth to the story. One of the best "best friends" I've ever read. And Phantom is my newest crush - I desperately hope the author has a book in store for him in the near future. So much to love about this book, and it's truly a worthy addition to an amazing series. I can't wait to read the next one!