THE TEARS OF THE ROSE – Jeffe Kennedy
The Twelve Kingdoms, Book 2 of 3
Kensington Fantasy
ISBN-13: 978-0-7582-9445-6
ISBN-10: 0-7582-9445-X
December 2014
Fantasy Romance

The Twelve Kingdoms

Princess Amelia always knew that as the youngest and most beautiful of the High King's three daughters, that her life would be perfect. She married the handsome, chivalrous Prince Hugh of Avonlidgh, and she was madly in love with him. But all this comes crashing to a disastrous end when Hugh is killed in a battle trying to rescue Ami's sister, Andromeda, from the Tala. Now, not only is Ami a widow, but she is pregnant. As the coddled, spoiled youngest, whose mother died shortly after giving birth to her, Ami is ill prepared to deal with the political skirmishes around her as everyone wants a piece of her future off-spring.

As Hugh's widow, Amelia will someday become queen of Avonlidgh, and her child could be even more powerful if a boy. The High King is determined to take charge of the child at birth and raise him to be his heir, usurping Ursula, Ami's eldest sister. Also, her father-in-law, King Erich, has his own plans for Ami and her child. Can the pampered baby sister rise to the occasion and deal with the dangerous machinations going on around her? Priests are determined to control the young princess, but there is a small group of women surrounding Ami who will profoundly affect how she responds to all of the changes swirling around her.

In order to prove to everyone that she's every bit as tough as her sisters, Amelia sets off to find her sister Andi in her new home, the mythical, mysterious Annfwn. Traveling with her midwife, the High Priest Kir, and the enigmatic White Monk, Ami is determined to confront her sister about the death of Hugh, and why Andi expects Ami to send her daughter to her at birth. Their journey is fraught with danger, but the formerly fragile princess has something to prove to her father, sisters, and to herself.

The Twelve Kingdoms trilogy continues with THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, and it's filled with plenty of excitement, adventure, magic, and romance. Amelia must face the future without her husband and try to out-manipulate her controlling and cold blooded father and father-in-law in order to give her baby a chance.

Beautifully written, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE is a delightful, gripping read. While it could easily be read alone, I highly recommend reading the first book, THE MARK OF THE TALA, Andi's story.

Jani Brooks