The Oath by A.M. Linden

The Oath (The Druid Chronicles, #1) by A.M. Linden

Release: June 15th, 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: She Writes Press
Source: HFVirtual Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, B&N , IndieBound

When the last of the secretive Druid cult members are forced to abandon their hidden sanctuary, they send the youngest of their remaining priests in search of Annwr, their chief priestess’s sister. The Saxon war band had abducted her fifteen years ago. With only a rudimentary grasp of English and the ambiguous guidance of an oracle’s prophecy, Caelym manages to find Annwr living in a hut on the grounds of a Christian convent.

Annwr has spent her years of captivity caring for the timid Aleswina, an orphaned Saxon princess trapped in a cloistered convent by her cousin, King Gilberth, after he assumed her father’s throne. Just as Caelym and Annwr are about to leave together, Aleswina learns that Gilberth, a tyrant known for his cruelty and vicious temper, means to take her out of the convent and marry her. Terrified, she flees with the two Druids–beginning a heart-pounding adventure that unfolds in ways none of them could have anticipated.

About the Author:

Ann Margaret Linden was born in Seattle, Washington, but grew up on the East Coast before returning to the Pacific Northwest as a young adult. She has undergraduate degrees in anthropology and nursing and a master’s degree as a nurse practitioner. Moreover, after working in various acute care and community health settings, she took a position in a program for children with special health care needs where her responsibilities included writing clinical reports, parent educational materials, provider newsletters, grant submissions, and other program-related materials.

The Oath is the first installment of The Druid Chronicles. It is a five-volume series that began as a somewhat whimsical decision to write something for fun. It later ended up becoming a long journey that involved Linden taking adult education creative writing courses, researching early British history, and traveling to England, Scotland, and Wales. Retired from nursing, she lives with her husband, dogs, and cat.

Website | Goodreads

The Oath Review:

“The Oath” is a beautiful historical adventure novel revolving around Druids and Christians, and I liked reading it!

The story picks up wonderfully, especially once our three main protagonists embark on their journey. It was interesting to see the dynamics between the three characters and how my mood changed as they spent time together. Some of my memorable scenes are when they disguise themselves and go after Benyon.

Also, each of the three characters brought a fresh perspective to the story. I liked Annwr for her wisdom and was fascinated with her past. However, I had mixed feelings about Caelym. At times I felt sorry for him as he was also on a mission to find his sons, Lliem and Arddwn. However, I wouldn’t say I liked the way he treated Aleswina. Speaking of Aleswina, she was my favorite! I adored her from the first page and loved her sense of innocence and positivity. You immediately want to reach out, hug her and protect her whenever she appears on the page.

Moreover, I also liked characters like Gilberth and Durthena. However, they only appeared briefly, and I wished they were prominent. Durthena was particularly entertaining with how she tries to bring Aleswina down by complaining to Hildegarth, and I was curious about Gilberth’s dreams.

The author also includes exciting stories within the plot that was fun to read. I particularly liked the tale Caelym tells LLiem and Arddwn about Trystwm and Bervin, and the story about the wolves. The book ends in a bittersweet manner as you grow to love these characters and wish you can spend more time with them.

Overall, I enjoyed reading “The Oath” and eager to see how the story continues!

Giveaway:

Enter to win a paperback copy of The Oath by A.M. Linden! We have 2 copies up for grabs!

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on July 16th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

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Book Tour Schedule:

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on The Oath (The Druid Chronicles, #1) by A.M. Linden Blog Tour hosted by HFVirtual Book Tours. Check out my post, and make sure to enter the giveaway!