Blog Tour: Shield and Blade by Heather Frost

Book Description:

His to protect

When Vera broke Venn’s heart, he was shattered. When she was abducted by mercenaries, he vowed to tear Mortise apart to find her. Now, reunited, he is determined to keep her safe–and win back her heart. Of course, things are never that simple.

Hers to defend

Vera has regretted hurting Venn ever since that fateful night in Wexon, but finding the right time to tell him is proving difficult. Traveling with him to Duvan should give her the perfect opportunity, but things take an unexpected turn when they find young children abandoned near a roadside.

Theirs to save

Helping the children isn’t in question, but the detour leads Venn and Vera into the heart of a sinister mystery. The truth they fight to uncover could change everything in Eyrinthia–and may cost them their lives.

***Shield & Blade is book 3.5 in the Fate of Eyrinthia YA fantasy romance series. It is best enjoyed after reading Royal Captive.***

Excerpt:

Venn’s fingers curled over hers, and he tugged her a couple of steps away from the bench.

The tempo was moderate, and he began to guide her through the dance.

Vera immediately tread on his toes, and color suffused her cheeks. “Sorry.”

“Didn’t you participate in Clare’s dance lessons?” he teased.

She shot him a look. “Yes, but I was never any good.”

He couldn’t hold back his grin. “You just need to relax. Let the music carry you, and let me guide you.”

She took a breath, but even as she exhaled, he could still feel the tension in her body.

He eased closer and dropped his chin, putting them close to eye-level. Their breaths mingled, and she was so close, she was all he could see.

“Trust me,” he whispered.

Her gaze held his as she said, “I do.” She took a breath, then let her shoulders fall. Her hands relaxed—one on his shoulder and one in his hand. His hold on her waist firmed as he led her through the dance with silent cues, ensuring her balance through every rotation.

The music shifted to a gentler melody. As their movements slowed, Venn drew her in closer. The scent of her vanilla soap drifted between them, and his heart skipped when she squeezed his hand.

For all the time they’d spent together these past weeks, this moment was different. Her nearness was enough to stagger him, but the way she looked at him . . . That undid him.

Vera’s eyes slowly closed and she leaned in until her forehead rested against his chest.

He may have stopped breathing.

Review:

As has been the case with each of the other books in this series, I was drawn in to the story right away. I appreciated the chance to get Venn and Vera's story of what happened from the time she was rescued to when they finally made their way back to everyone else.

There is a lot of heartache, terror, sadness and grief in this story.  But there is also a lot of love, hope, goodness, and peace as well. Watching tough-guy Venn interact with the children was perfect for my mom heart.

The author really knows how to hit you right in the feels with each of her stories.  This is a series that I can see myself reading over and over again. It definitely needs to be read in order, but I highly recommend it.

Title: Shield and Blade 

Author: Heather Frost

Publisher: Heather Frost

Published: July 2022

ISBN: 1734891971

Source: I received an e-copy from the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase: Amazon