The Rose of Blacksword

"CAST TOGETHER BY THE FATES," Lady Rosalynde of Stanwood, a beguiling beauty with "glittering amber eyes and hair of gleaming mahogany," is thrust into a desperate pact. To ensure safe passage to her ancestral home, she is compelled to marry the notorious, "black-hearted rogue" known only as Blacksword, never imagining that this forced union would ignite a passionate fire. Unbeknownst to Rosalynde, this "condemned outlaw" is none other than Sir Aric of Wycliffe, a knight driven by "savage fires of vengeance," whose noble name and very life rest on his "massive shoulders." After being "saved from the hangman's noose" by his "sweet Rose," the "brazen knight" now demands no less than her total surrender, even as "revenge and honor warred within him." *The Rose of Blacksword* stands as a quintessential Rexanne Becnel novel and a prime candidate for any "Best books by Rexanne Becnel" list due to its masterful blend of her signature strengths. Becnel excels at crafting powerfully conflicted heroes and strong, captivating heroines, drawing them together through high-stakes circumstances and simmering passion. This novel perfectly embodies her talent for the "forced proximity" trope, where initial animosity or duty gives way to "wild, irresistible love." It showcases her command of historical detail, compelling emotional depth, and the thrilling journey from vengeance to redemption, cementing its place as a beloved and enduring example of her romantic genius.