This is the second installment in this enchanting medieval romance series. It is a captivating tale of love and seeing the beauty beyond appearances.
Alais was an interesting character and it took me a bit of time to warm up to her, as it took her a bit too long to really see Victor beyond his scars. She had quite the reputation as a flirt, but she didn't shy away from it but in fact owned it. This worried her family causing them to assign her a scarred and stoic guard while they do everything in their power to find her a husband as soon as possible. The guard, Victor, a man hardened by life but gentle at heart, seems to be exactly what is needed to rein in Alais and help her to realize what her heart truly desires, as he sees Alais for who she really is beyond her facade. The chemistry between them is undeniable from the start. What sets this book apart is its tender exploration of love that grows from understanding and mutual respect. It was lovely to see Alais' growth as she began to see beyond the physical appearance of Victor and saw his heart of gold and recognized how special the man behind the scars truly was. I really enjoyed their banter and the stolen moments between them were swoon-worthy to be sure. A lovely romance that was beautiful and deeply satisfying!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I love medieval and historical romances, so I was excited to pick up this book. And it did not disappoint. We have a smart, but flirty heroine in Alais. We have a scarred, grumpy and troubled guard assigned to protect her. This is the second book in the series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything without having read that book.

Lady Alais took a bit of warming up for me. I did like that she was was owning her flirtatious nature right from the start, which isn't always the case in historical romances. However, I did think she took too long to start viewing Victor in a romantic way. I think she has her first realization around chapter 10 when she is thinking about his cousin during certain activities, and then Victor pops in her head instead.

Overall, I think the banter between both the main characters, but also their relations with others was great. I loved the sisterly vibe between Alais and Carenza. The writing was great and really sucked you into the storyline. I didn't mind Victor's scenes with Jane either, because not only were he and Alais not together at the time, I think those scenes really showcased his feelings and his conflicted emotions about Alais the best. Overall, great story, and now I need to go back and read book 1.

Another great book in the De Veres series. This one is about the second sister Alais. She plays the incredible flirt, and Victor, a former soldier is placed as her guard. He sees beyond the facade to the real Alais. They end up in a marriage of convenience, which quickly loses the "convenience" aspect. These two have incredible chemistry. As with the first book, the bad guy, Victor's cousin Robert is A Very Bad Dude. Almost Black Jack Randall (Outlander) quality evil.

I especially enjoyed the epilogue - where they have an improv style bawdy song show- down. The best line of the book is uttered by Alais' sister Carenza (from book 1):
"Besides, Carenza added," I like the song about the cat too. " Alais gasped." You do?"
" What do you think I am, a nun? "

If you know, you know!
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Entertaining Medieval Romance

She likes kissing troubadours, so they must find her a husband. A Tournament ensues, and knights show their true colors. They may be handsome, but the only man who is deserving is the guard protecting her. From the moment she met him, Alais finds herself antagonizing Victor, but what lies beneath the tension? What happens when Alais realizes that the treasure she is seeking has been in front of her all along? Not all her suitors are happy to be rejected, and there is unexpected treachery.

I enjoyed this medieval romance and would recommend it. Although this is the second book in the series, you can read it on its own. However, to hear the story of Alais’s sister, you will want to read the first book.

An engaging, amusing and different take on the nuances of the ton in regency times. Enjoyable at every chapter, we follow clever FMC as she navigates the perils of the female in challenging times. Thoroughly enjoyable at every chapter.

A stand alone historical romance with a naughty heroine. Our heroine is adventurous, and that can often damage a lady's reputation.
Our hero is a wounded war hero who , even now he is home still finds himself being used politically.
This is a sweet romance with danger and adventure for our characters. You can't help but sympathise with them and the frustration they face.
Good fun.

•❣•୨୧ 4.5 ⭐ ୨୧•❣•
I love, love, love, historical romances. This was definitely no exception. I loved the action, politics, humor, and sweet romance shared between the main couple. However, the main reason I rated this so high was the writing. When new things were introduced, it just tickled my brain in all the right ways. I lost myself in the immersive storytelling several times, and loved how poetic things were written. Im rounding up to 5 stars because I liked this book more than not, the only thing I had an issue with was the love interest going off to the brothels, it annoyed me, but not so much that i would knock off a full star. Overall, The Sword and the Damsel was a quick and fun read that i would definitely recommend to someone who likes well put together historical romances.

Alias is a flirt, who is bound to get into serious trouble. So her parents assign Victor, a ex soldier to ensure that she stays out of trouble. What follows is an amusing story with sword fights, deceit, jealousy and more. Not your out of the box plot but one that is uniquely crafted to snatch your attention and hold it to the very end. Great characters both primary and secondary ones. Well crafted troubadour songs and fun if not silly banter. Can be read as a stand alone.

I haven't read very many medieval romances so I jumped at the chance when I saw this in the catalog. My historical sweet spot is the Georgian-Victorian era and it was nice to see characters in a different setting. The wardrobe, landscapes, and mentalities all differed than my typical fare. I did enjoy certain elements of this book, yet it still felt rather modern. This was the second entry in the De Veres series, but I was thankfully still able to ascertain the storyline. I honestly preferred the previous couple than the one we were saddled with in The Sword and the Damsel. Our love birds had more than their fair share of speed bumps on their path to happy ever after.

My main critique of this book was what I deem literary faux pas. I cannot stand when the reader is treated to love scenes that don't exclusively feature the main couple. It comes across as very tacky and I consider it a major party foul. Our hero spent multiple occasions with a lookalike prostitute that mirrored the heroine. I know they're not technically together yet, but it gives me the ick regardless. It feels like cheating even though I know it isn't. That element coupled with the overlong writing ended up with a middling rating. I loved that the hero was scarred and wore an eye patch, but that can only carry the book so much.

The Sword and the Damsel was an interesting medieval romance, but I don't believe I'll continue with this series. The characters had great chemistry, but I'm not into secondary characters getting multiple love scenes with the hero. This may just be a me thing, but it ruined the experience. Thankfully, Victor's badass eye patch helped boost an otherwise lackluster book. That Sword can protect this Damsel anyday!

Jealousy, Lies, Gallantry, Peaches:
We first meet a very progressive flirty Alais a young lady who overly partakes in kissing young fellows.
A marriage is needed so off we go to finding Alais a husband.
Enter the stalwart endearing Victor a once handsome warrior with a damaged face who is now her guard to keep her from getting into trouble, ha, ha right?
A planned tournament is in the making to find a champion who will win the girls hand in marriage. What could go wrong with that scenario?
Well, from this point there is quite a love story that blooms with lots of suiters, some cheesy banter, barstool songs that make you laugh, interesting story about peaches that had me raising my eyebrow, and of course you need a villain to cause a lot of problems before the happy ending.
🤔This is an enjoyable book that I actually liked better than the first book of the series.
💪Favorite Character" Victor who is a wonderful swoon worthy man.
💋Mature Advisory🥵🥵🥵

This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review.

I came for romance but received that and a little adventure. I'll admit. the beginning of "The Sword and the Damsel" wasn't my favorite. Mostly because the mmc kept going off to the local brothel. I understood why but I didn't like it one bit. Once the main characters got together, I thought that would be the end of the story. Nope! We still had an adventure on our hands. This book was a short and easy read that will probably satisfy your quick romance need.