Title: 
Author(s): Jeannie Lin
Genre: Historical, Romance
Publisher/Year: Harlequin/2010
-Webpage/blog: Jeannie Lin Official Page
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Synopsis:  During China's infamous Tang Dynasty, a time awash with luxury yet littered with deadly intrigues and fallen royalty, betrayed Princess Ai Li flees before her wedding. Miles from home, with only her delicate butterfly swords for defense, she enlists the reluctant protection of a blue-eyed warrior....

Battle-scarred, embittered Ryam has always held his own life at cheap value. Ai Li's innocent trust in him and honorable, stubborn nature make him desperate to protect her--which means not seducing the first woman he has ever truly wanted....

Review:  I have wanted to read this book ever since I first heard about it.  I have been excited, I have been telling all my asian-loving friends about it (especially the ones who complain of lack of asian-centric romances) and the second I saw it up on NetGalley I requested to read it (sadly that didn't work out, but that's not for here to worry over).  So when I got my copy in my hands, I loved it like nothing else and treasured it.  Look how pretty it is.

And then I began to read it, because a book you love looking at but don't read is as useless as a gilded sword with no edge.

One of the best things about historical romances--no matter what era they are set in--is reading about the cultural norms and practices as a matter of fact day to day thing, instead of in some dusty history book.  Jeannie gives us multiple different stations of life for back during the Tang Dynasty (which ran from 618 to 907 A.D. with a brief break between 690 to 705).  Ai Li's life as a Princess, as well as Ryam's life as a wandering foreign swordsman are both given careful consideration.  Neither is glorified or treated as overly dramatic; we see the downside to being a daughter in the Shen family (the current ruling family) as well as the upside.

Honor is a big deal in Ai Li's world.  Honoring one's ancestors, honoring one's parents, honoring one's word, honoring one's self--and this drove the story.  Whereas I think sometimes I would have been taken aback by how quickly events seemed to unfold, I understood as well.  It wasn't a consciously spoken thought, not until later at least, but Ai Li (called 'Ailey' by Ryam) knew that Ryam could be trusted.  Despite his protestations otherwise, his actions were much louder.  He protected Ai Li even while drugged, he helped her get home, he kept his distance when she asked him to--he had honor.

Ryam was interesting to read about, though I wish we knew more about him.  He was very circumspect, because he grew up as a nomadic swordsman basically; first because his dad did such and later because it was all he knew.  He definitely wanted Ai Li from the first, but he even though he let his thoughts veer towards the sexual (often) he also respected Ai Li for her skill with her swords and her courage.  She didn't shirk from hard situations, she embraced and resolved to find ways to make them work for her.  The few times she faltered was because her belief in her family was shaken so badly, but always she recovered her equilibrium swiftly.

The ending came swiftly, one thing after another happened with decisions being made under duress.  I admit I was pretty pissed at Ai Li's father, the Emperor at the end.  She spent the entire book speaking out against the marriage, why are you questioning if she wants to be married now?  At least he made good by her, but I wonder at the consequences (in fact I hope we learn more in the sequel The Dragon and the Pearl) of everyone's actions.

I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a new line of romances for Harlequin.  I would be over the moon if they decided to start involving Asia in their historical line--think of the possibilities!