Butterfly Swords
Author: Jeannie Lin
Published: October 1, 2010
Publisher: Harlequin Historical
Winner of the 2009 Golden Heart for Historical Romance
Butterfly Swords is a classic tale of courage, adventure, and love against all odds, set against the opulent background of Tang Dynasty, China. I was thrilled to get the chance to preview this book early via Net Galley.
Princess Ai Li escapes in the middle of her wedding procession after finding out the man she is to marry is not what she thought him to be. With only her butterfly swords to protect her, she reluctantly seeks the aid of Ryam, the blond barbarian swordsman. It is in the interaction of these two characters that we see the story blossom. To lend authenticity to the historical aspect of this story, Chinese words are woven throughout and the era’s intrinsic customs and culture are presented in such a way that inspires interest in the story and helps the reader to understand the characters’ behavior.
Author Jeanie Lin surely did not disappoint with this wonderful poignant story. Told some forty years after The Taming of Mei Lin, this fast-paced romantic story, wrapped in the bonds of traditional family honor, continues Jeannie’s love of east meets west.
After being introduced to Jeannie Lin’s energetic writing style, I was not disappointed to find that this book easily captured my attention. Her vivid descriptions of the Tang Dynasty landscape had me conjuring images of what life was like back then. Even the fluidity of the fight scenes felt real.
Visit Jeannie Lin’s website www.jeannielin.com for more details and background on her stories.
[…] I also received some reviews for Butterfly Swords from author and blogger Kay Bigelow and Michelle Henriques-Wilson. […]