Review of Wren by Rachel Rossano

This Review was provided by Sarah Holman over at The Destiny of One 

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Age Appropriate For: 13 and up (mild violence, some romance)

Best for Ages: 13 and up

Description: Wren Romany is as unconventional as they come. Born to a large, devout family and then forced out to fend on her own, she earns her living as a bounty hunter. As her second winter alone looms, she decides to stay in one place for the season. Seeking shelter, she offers her hunting skills in exchange. Tourth Mynth, the master of the ruined fortress in the valley, needs help. His small household faces a hard winter. As son of a disenfranchised noble, he has plenty of space beneath his roof, but not much to eat. Wren's offer seems a good fit. Wren soon learns the residents of Iselyn need more than simply meat on their table. The valley's residents squirm beneath a harsh master. Unsolved murder and betrayal lurk in the Mynths' not so distant past. And Tourth's battle with his emotional scars from the recent civil war will determine the fate of the whole valley.

I was so excited to be asked to review yet another of Rachel’s books. I was honored to be asked to review Duty, and I had enjoyed reading Exchange. So when Rachel asked me to review Wren, I jumped at the chance.

Like Duty, Wren is set in a fictional world. However, it feels more like historical fiction than fantasy. There isn’t any magic, strange creatures, or other creepy fantasy elements. So both those who like mild fantasy and fiction set it times past will enjoy this book.

The basic premise of the story is that siblings are separated and forced to make their own way in the world. I have been interested in reading this series ever since I read a blog post by Rachel Thomson about it years ago. I am very eager to read the other book in the series that has already been published – Taerith.

Overall, I loved that adventure that kept me turning pages. There were a couple of points that things were a little confusing either from the number of characters, or from a messy political situation. But those moments were very few and far between.

Wren is a strong woman, she has to be. She makes her living as a bounty hunter and has earned the reputation of being one of the best. Somehow, Rachel managed to make Wren strong without making her boy-like. Many strong female characters end up hating the fact that they are girls. Wren wears men’s clothes because she needs to, and feels awkward in dresses, but she didn’t seem to hate the fact she was a girl. 

The banter in this book was amazing. I mean, who doesn’t love the friendly banter of guys. I liked all the men who worked for Tourth Mynth and how they interacted. A couple of times it was confusing, there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but I loved it.

Tourth I think was my favorite part of the story. His battle with his past was very well done and believable. He was also just an awesome leading guy: strong, handsome, caring, and a man of good character. He is everything a girl could want in a leading man.

The romance was very light and mostly toward the end of the book. I really enjoyed it, though. It was so sweet.

I highly recommend this book for adventure seekers, mild fantasy lovers, mild romance lovers, and readers who enjoy fun banter.

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I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

-Sarah-