An arranged marriage, a destitute bride, and a groom who loves another woman. What on Earth could go wrong? ***** Ida Weaver never had anything to her name. She was born a lowly serf and the illegitimate daughter of the lord to boot, and though she quietly longs for something else, she does not complain. She knows her life could be much worse. But a desperate knight offers Ida a new life, with everything that she has ever wanted. The price? Marriage to his youngest son. Ida decides it's worth it- and after meeting her groom, realizes that he is in love with someone else. Classically, his father disapproves of the match. Jacob is Ida's only chance at happiness, but is she his? Ida wants to make things right, but how? Every rose has thorns...

Once, we were certain we could drive the Roman Invaders from the land. Now, more and more of our kin in the South lay down their spears and kneel to foreign rule. I never thought we would fall too; not with the strength of our warriors, our intimate knowledge of the land, and tactics that had driven the invaders back time and time again. Yet, it seems I know nothing at all. When the chief of my tribe seeks to strike a truce with the invaders, everything changes. At a time when I should be learning from the elders of our tribe, or how to rule from my father, my hand itches to pick up a weapon instead. Yet the steel-eyed General who leads the soldiers camping outside our walls feels familiar to me in a way I can't explain, and for a man raised in Rome, he has a fire in him that I've only seen in my people. But talks of peace are threatened when a power that's lain dormant for decades is woken. . . . . .for our paths have crossed before.