SPOILER ALERT!!!!I absolutely loved this book. For an ARC, it was very well-written and I was really glad that it was. I appreciated the author more that way. I believe this is the second book of a trilogy about the Fallstowe sisters.
The story was about Cecily who was dubbed "Saint Cecily" in the land of Fallstowe. One night, she encountered Lord Oliver Bellecote at a party. He only recently became Lord because of his brother's passing. When they encountered each other, Oliver joked that even he doesn't deserve Saint Cecily. In return, Cecily was furious. She wasn't ordained as a nun yet but the people of Fallstowe already deemed her holy.
Cecily decided to go to the Foxe Ring to pray. She knew that the Foxe Ring had a legend that a woman who visits the ruin will meet her future husband during a full moon. Interesting enough, Oliver literally dropped out of the sky and into Cecily's foot despite the moon not being full. He was drunk and severely injured. But being the scoundrel he was, that didn't stop him from claiming Saint Cecily's virginity. *gasp*
Long story short, Cecily ended up being Oliver's nurse given that she was the most capable in all the land. Then there was Joan. She was the woman who kept throwing herself to Oliver and pushing him to propose to her so they could get married. The nerve! She was such an annoying character, I just wanted everyone to shun her away, except people back in those days are painfully polite.
There was also Vicar John who wasn't really a priest and Vicar was just a title. He was arranged to be married to Saint Cecily after only a few days of meeting. Only Cecily knew that she was marrying him out of convenience and out of fear of Oliver being unfaithful to her if she ever pursued his interest.
Towards the end, Cecily found out she got pregnant, Joan tried to kill her but failed, and she married Oliver and left for his land to leave Cecily's sister, Sybilla, to fend for herself and protect the land against an attack.
Check out these awesome scenes :)
Oliver was injured and the maids were "taking care of him"
"Hello there, yes, now--what's all this?"Saint Cecily was bandaging Oliver.
A dark-eyed maid replied, although neither she nor the other two women slowed in their tasks. "You're to have a bath, milord."
"A bath?" Oliver cried. "My arm's broken!"
"Oh, not to worry yourself, milord," the youngest looking maid cooed with a coquettish smile. "You shan't have to lift a finger."
"Well, now," Oliver stuttered as the maid withdrew a slender blade and pulled the front of his shirt from his pants. She gripped the end of the garment in one fist. "I don't see that as necessary at this point. What are you--I say!"
The maid gave a happy little sigh. "There we are, milord. Can't have you twisting yourself up in knots to get out of this thing, can we?"
"I do think perhaps we should"--he broke off as he caught sight of the other two maids at each of his feet, both wielding identical blades. "What are you two about? No, no, no! That's not called for. I--"
In a blink, his legs felt the cool air of the chamber.
"Argh! Christ Jesus!I definitely recommend this book! I am planning on getting the first book as well as the third! :)
"Lord Bellecote!" Cecily chastised.
"S'fucking cold!"
"Yes, it is," she said lightly. "Soaked in the same tea as you've just drunk. Cooled now, though, of course." She tied a slipknot in the bandage, leaving one long end, and then turned to pick up another length from the pile.
He told himself he was prepared for the shock of the clammy linen, but he clearly was not.
"God dammit!"
She tied the knot quickly and then took a step back from the bedside, her hands on her hips.
"Sorry, sorry!" he grumbled. "Wrap it 'round your belly though, and see if even you don't call down God's curses upon it.
"What?" he demanded, feeling his face heat. Oliver could not recall another time in his life when a fully clothed woman had disconcerted him so.
"No one has ever dared speak like that in my presence before," she said.
"I've apologized. What else do you want from me, blasted torturer?"
((Skip to the part when Cecily is down to the last of the bandages))
"Ready?" she asked politely.
"No," he grunted.
"All right then." She pulled on the bandage and it tightened around Oliver's chest.
"Good God!" he gasped, and his legs went rigid.
"Is that tight enough?" she inquired sweetly.
"I-think-so-yes." His words were a breathy stream of air.
"Hmm. Perhaps a bit more." Cecily pulled again.
His only response was a terrible wheeze, and Oliver thought for a moment that he might faint."
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