Book Review: The Warrior’s Princess by Barbara Erskine

Rather surprisingly, this is the first of Barbara Erskine’s books that I have discovered.  However, I now have another name on my favourite authors list!  I can’t wait to read some of her other offerings…

The Warrior’s Princess cleverly weaves together events from the past with those of the present.

Jess, a teacher in a sixth form college, is attacked by someone she trusts; although she is not sure who, she has her suspicions.  Of course, this turns her life completely upside down.  To try and put a bit of distance between herself and her ordeal, in the hope that she might heal, she leaves London to go and stay with her sister.  Her sister, Steph owns an old house, Ty Bran, in the Welsh borders.  However, Steph has gone to Rome for the summer, so Jess is there all alone.

The valley in which Ty Bran is situated is still haunted by the traumatic events of two thousand years ago.  Caradoc, the Celtic leader who brought a number of the tribes together against the Roman occupiers, is captured after a terrible battle in the valley.  A battle that saw the native warriors defeated.  Those of his family they can locate are sent to Rome as prisoners, including his daughter, Princess Eigon.

Somehow a link is forged between Jess and Eigon, and though they are living two thousand years apart, their fate becomes intertwined.

This book was immensely gripping and the story flowed smoothly between the past and the present.  I continually struggled to put it down.  The description was evocative, and the details that were provided brought the variety of stunning locations and colourful characters to life.

Mystery, danger, love, vengeance, fear, the paranormal, friendship, heartache, deception, murder…this book has it all and more.  There were so many unexpected twists and turns that I had no idea how the book was going to end.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough.