Loyal Heart (The Von Wolfenberg Dynasty Book 1) by Anna Markland ~Revew in English~

Loyal Heart (The Von Wolfenberg Dynasty Book 1) by Anna Markland  

Blurb:

An impossible choice…love or family loyalty.
Book I of a brand new series from Anna Markland, The Von Wolfenberg Dynasty. Sophia falls in love with a guest at her brother’s wedding, but he is an envoy sent by her father’s enemies.
Brandt intends to return home as soon as his unwelcome obligation to attend the wedding is fulfilled. It quickly becomes apparent he’ll be lucky to leave the celebrations alive. 


When the Fraconian Brandt Rodermark is sent as an envoy to the wedding of an important Saxonian diplomat's son, he certainly fears that there might be a bit trouble as the war hasn't been over for long and peace is still a very fragile thing. And being sent there as a nobody in the place of his overlords....well, that might be seen as an insult. So Brandt is prepared for a certain amount of unpleasantness but he isn't prepared for the possibility that he might not survive this visit!
Sophia von Wolfenberg never expected to fall in love at her brother's wedding - and she could never have imagined that falling in love would mean that she'd have to chose between love and her family....
But first of all she has to make sure that Brandt survives his time at her family's place!
Circumstances force Brandt to stay much longer with the von Wolfenbergs than he had planned and he gets to know Sophia and her family really well. Even though he is betrothed to someone else, Sophia and Brandt fall in love. Now it is up to fate - and politics - what will become of their love!

I really really loved the von Wolfenbergs. It is such a wonderful family and you just have to love them! Their interactions, their acceptance of others and of Brandt specifically and their ever-present love for each other make them very special. Especially in contrast to Brandt's upbringing and his horrible father it is nice to see the von Wolfenbergs and to see how Brandt, despite being the enemy, in theory at least, slowly becomes a part of their family.

Politics, wars, kings, princes, beautiful and courageous maidens - this book has it all and combines a wonderful love story between two amazing characters with an interesting and well written story. The characters are complex and authentic and the whole story is captivating with some twists and turns that keep the reader on his toes.
The books has no real cliffhanger but the end is somewhat open nontheless and leaves the reader anxious for the next book in the series to come out ...

★★★★