Mia Burke
Claire Delacroix is a master storyteller and “The Wolf and the Witch” is an excellent start to her new “Blood Brothers” series set in the 1300’s Scotland and France. Maximilian de Vries Is cruelly denied his rightful inheritance. After his uncle’s funeral he, his half brothers and entourage, set out to claim an abandoned, and all but destroyed keep that was promised to him. When he arrives he finds that the keep and the surrounding area has been kept by women who claim to be witches in an effort to scare them away. Alys Armstrong, is the orphan of a man he feels responsible for killing so he decides he must marry her, thereby staking an irrefutable claim to the keep. The author has created evocative characters that are well developed and defined. Our hero and heroine are both strong willed characters. The dialogue is well written and intriguing. The details provide the vision which serves to heighten the drama. This of course impacts the characters, who have great chemistry, through each step of the story. I appreciate the authors imagery and her descriptions which allow you to visualize each scene and feel the characters emotions. The author gives us a fantastic story as the mores of time dictate. I loved that she gives you the characters points of view. We are able to see their backstories and developing personalities. She weaves a story from beginning to end with threads of intrigue, mystery and treachery as a web is spun that will hold you spellbound from the moment you begin the journey with Max and Alys. From the first sentence to the last, I could not put it down. Thank you so much Ms. Delacroix for this wonderful story of finding love and common desires where least expected. Fantastic start to a new series! I can’t wait for the next book!
Eileen Dandashi
Before I even began reading, I was intrigued. Wolves and Witches? Yes, both on my push-button list. Insight: The characters’ beliefs and passed experiences fuel their present events. I relate to this premise. Much of how we react to present events and situations stems from previous experiences and certainly our beliefs guide us to what we believe is truth. Sometimes our past experiences favor what we do in the present. Other times, not. A story isn’t a story unless events challenge physically, mentally and emotionally the characters. Her books do just that, creating an exciting, emotional rollercoaster for the reader. Each of the two main players—Maximillian and Alys— were shaped by a difficult past. The author gives us the lay of the land early on through the eyes of Murdoch, a Scot out for revenge with his secret of parentage. He is the snake hidden beneath the foliage. When will he strike? The Silver Wolf, Maximillian de Vries, the proper son of Jean le Beau, was shaped for whom he was—a mercenary. Dutifully, as a son, he did his father’s bidding. Hidden under his armor of toughness, were facets of his personality he shared with no one. The reader learns about these with the unfolding of the story. It becomes clear the three brothers fathered by Jean de Vries – Maximillian (the rightful heir), Amaury (the son of Maximillian’s mother’s maid and Jean le Beau), and Raphael, Maximillian's half-brother, had high hopes with the demise of their father, Jean de Beau. Each were disappointed, for the oldest son of the de Vries was not among them. Only the eldest son of the de Vries family, mother to Maximillian would snag the title and property. So who was he? Angered, frustrated, and feeling alone, the brothers made a blood pact. They journeyed with six others to Maximillian’s consolation prize, Kilderrick Castle, thrown at him like some unwanted bone. The hold was promised to Maximillian years ago when upon his father’s command he pillaged it, seeking a treasure, he never found, nor had he heard any other had found it. With the pact, the brothers pledged an oath to defend each other, and to reclaim Kilderrick but it was humored to be haunted with evil spirits and witches. Of these both, Maximillian believed not a word. Four women, each with their her story of wretchedness live in the forest, robbing thieves passing along the road near Kilderrick. This story involves all four, but Alys Armstrong is the woman who gains Maximillian’s interest. Once Alys knew who had come back to Kilderrick, she sought revenge. He was the man who killed her father and burnt her father’s keep. She would have her revenge. When Maximillian came back to find the treasure, he found mischievous women who thieved horses, Amaury’s falcon, and scared the villagers and those under his protection. He, for one, did not believe in witches. His interest was piqued, as he enjoyed a good challenge. Once he knew who Alys Armstrong was, he used her to cement his hold on the keep.
