Lady of the Bridge
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $0.99
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- $0.99
Publisher Description
Saiko, warrior princess under Japan’s first ruling shogun, is tasked with entering the dethroned emperor’s household as a consort. It is her duty. It brings honor to her family. This alliance between the old regime and the new can end rebellious uprisings that keep Japan in upheaval.
Takamori is an elite samurai in service to the first shogun. He is war-weary but loyal in his service under the man who ended the civil wars that threatened to destroy Japan. With no major battles to fight, he faces a peacetime that has all samurai questioning their role and their future.
When Saiko and Takamori meet on a garden bridge, both seeking answers and calm, they stir unexpected desires and create more questions than answers. Each day they meet and each day they fall deeper in love. Duty and honor, however, dictate that Saiko must belong to the emperor, and as her father’s marshal, Takamori must deliver her.
A ronin attack forces them to fight for her life. They race across Japan with armies on the chase and two questions left unanswered. Who organized and directs the ronin army? And how much time do they have together?
In a world where duty is everything, how will she choose between family honor and her heart’s desire?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kitchell's warmhearted 17th-century Japanese historical romance (after Lady of the Imperial Court) beguiles the reader with passion, secrets, and deadly action. Forward-thinking warrior princess Saiko is tormented when her father, the most powerful man in Japan, informs her that she will become the consort to the figurehead emperor. She seeks solitude at her favorite bridge, where she meets elite loyal samurai Hosokawa Takamori. An immediate attraction between the two grows steadily during their daily clandestine meetings. Saiko evades Takamori's inquiries about her identity and their future, as defying honor and the protocols of duty can have deadly consequences. When Saiko's father assigns Takamori to escort her to the emperor, she manages to keep her secret until the retinue is attacked. Saiko uses her warrior skills alongside Takamori's as they race across Japan to safety. While awaiting reinforcements, they create blissful intimate memories and strategize how to defeat their enemies. Just when it looks as though loyalty will win out over love, a twist of fate brings happiness within their reach. Cultural and historical nuances and a spirited heroine overcome a meandering beginning and a less developed hero in this fine period romance. (BookLife)
