Friday 17 May 2013

Tour Review : To Stand Beside Her




To Stand Beside Her
Author: B.Kristin McMichael 
Publication date: January 24th, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Edition: E-book
Purchase from: AmazonB&N




To be the best courier in the world, eighteen-year-old Benét Leila follows three simple rules: always work alone, never stay in one place too long, and never fall in love. Too bad she didn't follow her own advice.

Leila is a courier. To the people she takes from, she is seen as a common thief; to the people she helps, she is a savior.

Nalick is your typical king. He's rich, powerful, and always assumed to be right. When Leila crosses paths with King Nalick, she finds herself trapped. In a rush to save her best friend Kay from a prison sentence for a crime Leila committed, Leila trades her hand in marriage in exchange for Kay’s freedom.

Tomboy Leila does not want to grow up, but in three months’ time, she will be married to King Nalick, if Nalick can keep his end of the bargain. First, Nalick must make Leila fall in love with him, a hard task since Leila is not ready to love again after losing her first love to a greedy king. Second, Nalick must keep her safe. He is not the only king trying to hold onto her. Leila has made many enemies over the years, and even more admirers that want her as a prize. Lastly, Nalick must convince Leila that ten years of love is better than a lifetime without. Unless Leila can trust her destiny, she might not reach her wedding day at all.


Received as part of a Blog Tour !

Okay, let's get straight to it.

Kristin McMichael is an author to look out for. There I said it. *Yay indie authors!*

I'm not saying this book is the best out there, but is it the worst. It's got sooo much promise! Action, adventure, romance, humour its all there.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one I'll tell you that. The story of the courier and her encounter with Nalick, her skills as a courier were very well described. This is really good for a first (or second, I'm not sure if this is her first or not..) book and isn't that cover really interesting as well? I was captivate at the beginning itself which is important sometimes but can also mean that the story has potential to go downhill from there. This didn't go downhill so to say, it was more like heartbeats, there were high's and a few low's.

I enjoyed the character's Nalick, Leila, Antonio and even his two buddies. Leila is stubborn and won't change her mind very easily when she's set her mind to it. Nalick is said to be arrogant, and just like the other big bad kings he just wants to have Leila as a prize, a mere possession. So why is it that Leila accepts getting  married to him? And fairly easily at that. She's supposedly supposed to accept a wee bit grudgingly, but soon realizes that he is gentle and caring at heart.

Nalick changes a little too, but that was expected as he DID want her to marry him didn't he? Other than the fact that the changes in their demeanors from dislike to like was pretty quick, that Leila didn't try to cause any significant tantrums or disruptions to delay her wedding and the obvious fact that something was going to happen to Leila. I mean it should, it was certainly leading up to it. I just didn't enjoy the fact that I was waiting for it going "It's coming, any moment now".

It certainly was not that much of a problem as the other characters had important and significant mysteries to reveal that really covered the above peeves really well.
And that end!!! It was soo good that I was willing to forget all the things I didn't enjoy! And yes I am a bit macabre in situations but that end was just so ... Bittersweet really. I wished it hadn't happened but I also couldn't see it without it. But I really wish there had been an alternate ending. Those of who might read my posts would know what happens to characters that begin to grow close to heart.......

All in all a great read! There's action, adventure, romance and a bit of humour. What more could you need?! I might have given it a 3.5, but it is soooo very close to a 4 . It would have a 3.85 rating if I could do that. But then again I'm a nit-picker so go ahead pick this one up and find out for yourself.

Also check out the giveaways for this book here!


Rating: 3.5 Quills (a veeerry close 4)






quill design: QioDen
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