A Worthy Rebel ~ Review

 A Worthy Rebel
An Uncertain Choice #5
By Jody Hedlund

In A Loyal Heart, we were introduced to Lady Olivia of Ulster and now we discover what became of her younger sister Lady Isabelle. Lady Isabelle, Countess of Ulster, is known for her delicate beauty but her late father's treachery has brought the shame of the king's shunning upon the family name. With few choices, Lady Isabelle is being pressured to marry Sir Thomas Neville. His wealth will stabilize her own struggling lands and provide the finances she no longer possesses.

But Isabelle's arrival in Pembroke brings forth peasant dissatisfaction against Sir Thomas catching Isabelle in its wake. Sir Thomas's response and cruelty convince Izzy that she cannot contemplate a marriage to such a man. Escaping Castle Pembroke leaves Izzy alone, lost, and hunted. Sir Thomas is not about to allow his plans to be thwarted.

Cole Warwick is determined to convince Sir Thomas to listen to the peasant's concerns and complaints and if open rebellion is necessary so be it. But when soldiers take to the woods he fears that the rebels are the target of their search, he never imagined that the hurt young woman he found is the true target.

As Izzy recovers she has a chance to truly understand the peasant life something she had never before had any occasion to do. Interactions with her own people were usually through an intermediary. Hiding as a peasant though places those caring for her in danger if her subterfuge is discovered. As she gets to know the Warwick family Izzy finds herself drawn towards Cole, but marriage between nobility and peasantry can never be. Cole could never provide the finances Izzy so desperately needs. And if he discovers who she truly is he may hate her for the noble title she holds.

A Worthy Rebel is the final book in the An Uncertain Choice series. The characters are interesting as they deal with what life has given them. Cecil, who was in the previous book makes another appearance in this one and the reader is left in doubt as to his fate. I also liked Cole's mother Thea and found the backstory of parents to be quite interesting. And for those who enjoy the Duke of Rivenshire he makes an appearance in this one at a most appropriate moment (hint, hint there is a battle). The final outcome is one that the reader will not expect (yes, there is a happy ending but it is what leads up to it that proves most intriguing.

Written for the young adult/teen audience all fans of Jody Hedlund's work will enjoy this one. Though over 300 pages the book doesn't feel long and is easy to follow through its intrigues and twists. And the cover I love the dress!

About the Book:

A desperate noblewoman, 

a rebellious peasant, 

and a forbidden love. 

While fleeing an arranged betrothal to a heartless lord, Lady Isabelle becomes injured and lost. Rescued by a young peasant man, she hides her identity as a noblewoman for fear of reprisal from the peasants who are bitter and angry toward the nobility.

Cole Warwick cannot turn his back on a person in need and soon finds himself falling for Izzy, the gentle and beautiful runaway who is mending in his cottage. As the leader of an imminent uprising against the nobility, he tries to resist his growing feelings for Izzy to protect her from the dangerous life he’s chosen. But the longer she stays, the more he hopes she’ll never leave.

When Izzy’s true identity is revealed, Cole feels betrayed. With the rebellion underway, can Cole forgive Izzy and find a way to save her from an unhappy marriage? Or will he and his peasant army be destroyed before he has the chance to fight for the people and the woman he loves?