Book Review: A Bond of Briars
โA Bond of Briarsโ by Erin Phillips (@erinphillipsauthor)
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She is bonded to a spirit who demands her blood.
She follows a mother-in-law who resents her power.
She meets a man who challenges everything sheโs ever believed.
After a fatal illness takes newlywed Caitrinโs husband, she finds herself obligated by duty and oath to care for her mother-in-law, Meara, at any costโฆeven if it means traveling to Croรฌthe, where magic of any kind is outlawed. Burdened by Mearaโs bitter grief and weighty demands, Caitrin struggles to keep all of her secrets hidden and make a new life in the foreign land.
However, when the charming and charitable Callen Lockhart, a wealthy lord who is at odds with the town, welcomes her to Croรฌthe without judging her past, Caitrin worries that his generosity will come at a cost she is unwilling to pay.
Bonded to a spirit who empowers her to create spells and curses, Caitrin must either become the powerful cairline her mother had always wanted her to be or suffer the consequences of breaking free.
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I didnโt really know what to expect with this book. Transparently, itโs my first Erin book and I donโt normally make it a habit to apply to be an ARC reader for an author I havenโt read before, unless itโs a debut author. But I was pleasantly surprised!
I donโt normally like retellings a whole lot, and biblical retellings make me a little leary, BUT this book was really good. I would say that itโs more allegorical and inspired by Ruth rather than an actual retelling, but I, also, trust the author because she knows what sheโs talking about.
There were many scenes where Christโs love was very evident. There was a dramatic push and pull of sin vs salvation. The way that Callen pursued Caitrin, despite her failings, how he wanted to save her from her bond, is such a loving picture of how husbands are to pursue their wives.
This was a wonderful dark fantasy without the yucky stuff. I absolutely recommend it!!
Ps โ this book was gifted to me by the author, but this review is entirely honest and my own opinion.
For more information about how I rate my books, check out this article.
