BOOK REVIEW – Lion Heart (Scarlet #3) by A.C. Gaughen

Lion Heart (Scarlet #3)
by A.C. Gaughen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Only the greatest loves can survive great danger. . .

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape, she learns that King Richard's life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine needs Scarlet's help to free him. For a lifelong thief, this newfound allegiance to the crown-her family-is a strange feeling.

Scarlet knows that helping Eleanor will put her and those she loves back in Prince John's sights. Desperate not to risk anyone's life but her own, Scarlet formulates a plan to help save the king on her own. But fate-and her heart-won't allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long. Even if Scarlet and Rob can together stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England, will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

Review:

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the friends I had found in these pages.  Whether it was the side characters, who I surprisingly teared up for more than once, or Rob and Scar, they all stood out and became unforgettable.  Each of them helped make this trilogy my favorite retelling of Robin Hood ever!  But I do have a warning, that ending left me wanting so much more!  But regardless of the ending, if you’re looking for a series that is filled with action, adventure, love, honor, and friendship then this is your book!

He drew a breath and closed his eyes, his throat working. “There are a million ways this can end badly, Scar.”
I nodded.  “There always were.”

We started out the story with Scar in prison, guarded by a new character David.  Let it be known, that I absolutely adored David!  He accompanied Scar on her journey, after her escape from Prince John’s imprisonment, and his interaction with another character had he laughing so hard!  The banter between David and this other character, who shall not be named, made me feel as though they were falling for each other.  But their conflicts, banter, and secret moments were left unanswered.  And I so wish that it would have been explained and touched upon.

Ruin. Ruin were all around me, and I couldn’t stop it none. I brought it to me like I were calling it down from the sky.

But as their journey progressed, something was blatantly missing.  Rob.  My heart ached for Rob and Scar to meet up and be back together again!  I just wanted them to have another kiss, another stolen moment, another time where they could be happy.  And ohhhhhh what I got was SO much more than I ever could have wanted.  I was beyond ecstatic with how Scar and Rob’s love transformed and those scenes were definitely my favorite moments in this book.  Both of them were brave, fearless when needed, and brought so much good into the world that they deserved each other.  They were the best pairing I have ever seen in a Robin Hood story!

And then he kissed me, and stars flooded through me, glittering and dancing and heating me with their fire as he pulled me to shore. He pulled me up onto the rock, and he kissed me until it were dark.

But even though this is my favorite Robin Hood retelling, and I loved Rob and Scar together, that ending left so much to be desired for.  It felt as though it was rushed, and I was left wanting more resolutions.  Repercussions I wanted handed out didn’t exist, and I was left feeling a little nervous over Rob and Scar’s future.  And then there was a death that was lost in the shuffle, which made me so very sad.  So I closed this book feeling utterly conflicted.  Because Lion Heart was a solid 5 until those last few chapters.

The pains in our love were never far below the surface, like the blood in the bruises they left.

Saying all of that, this series was still phenomenal.  It had a kick ass heroine, a sexy as sin hero, and action that dropped my stomach!  These books were so much fun!  Yet if you’re like me and prefer your endings a little bit more tied up, then just proceed cautiously.  Because knowing what I know now, I’d still read this series all over again!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Scarlet #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea Anna	Lady Thief #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Lion Heart #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea

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