In this ebook historical romance novella by Jody Hedlund, young Rosemarie finds herself drawn to Thomas, the son of the nearby baron. But just as her feelings begin to grow, a man carrying the Plague interrupts their hunting party. While in forced isolation, Rosemarie begins to contemplate her future—could it include Thomas? Could he be the perfect man to one day rule beside her and oversee her parents’ lands? Then Rosemarie is summoned back to her castle in haste. The disease has spread, and her family is threatened. And the secret she discovers when she returns could change her future forever. This novella also serves as a prequel to Jody Hedlund’s An Uncertain Choice.

Due to her parents' promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, a month before her birthday, a friend of her father's enters the kingdom and proclaims her parents' will left a second choice. If Rosemarie can marry before the eve of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow. Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the competition for her heart seemingly results in a knight playing foul, she begins to wonder if the cloister is the best place after all. If only one of the knights the one who appears the most guilty had not already captured her heart.

The only thing harder than fighting for what’s right…is fighting their feelings for each other. For three years, the Cloaked Bandit has terrorized Wessex, robbing the nobility by knifepoint and a well-placed arrow. But little does anyone know, this bandit is in fact Juliana Wessex, the rightful ruler of the land and a girl her tyrannical uncle—the current Lord Wessex—believes was killed along with her father. Juliana has become skilled at hiding from Lord Wessex in the forest, using her stolen goods to provide food and shelter to the peasants her uncle has taxed into poverty. But when she robs Collin Goodrich, her red hair betrays her true identity. Lord Collin remembers Juliana from their childhood—and challenges her to stay on his estate for a week in hopes she will leave her thieving ways and become a proper lady once more. Juliana is intrigued by Collin and his charms, but only time will tell if he can overcome her distaste of the nobility—as well as win her heart.

Lady Sabine is harboring a skin blemish, one, that if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger, and damage her chances of making a good marriage. After all, what nobleman would want to marry a woman so flawed? Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from an imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman. As a man of honor, he loathes the idea of courting a woman for her money, but with time running out for his family’s safety, what other choice does he have? As Lady Sabine and Sir Bennet are thrust together under dangerous circumstances, will they both be able to learn to trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Or will those secrets ultimately lead to their demise?

He’s taken her as his prisoner. But she’s holding his heart captive. In gaining their freedom, will they lose what matters most? When Lady Olivia’s castle is besieged, she and her sister are taken captive and held for ransom by her father’s enemy, Lord Pitt. Loyalty to family means everything to Olivia. She’ll save her sister at any cost and do whatever her father asks—even if that means obeying his order to steal a sacred relic from her captor. As Lord Pitt’s commander, Sir Aldric is in charge of the beautiful but feisty new prisoner. He has his hands full attempting to keep Lady Olivia out of trouble. When Lord Pitt throws her in the dungeon and threatens to hang her for stealing, Aldric conceives a plot to save Olivia’s life—betrothal to him. Can Olivia give up the prestigious match her father has arranged with a wealthy marquess in order to marry a lowly knight like Aldric? And can Aldric move beyond his past mistakes to embrace love again? When loyalties are tested, they’re thrust into danger that could cost them their love and their lives.

A desperate noblewoman, a rebellious peasant, and a forbidden love. While fleeing an arranged betrothal to a heartless lord, Lady Isabelle becomes injured and lost. Rescued by a young peasant man, she hides her identity as a noblewoman for fear of reprisal from the peasants who are bitter and angry toward the nobility. Cole Warwick cannot turn his back on a person in need and soon finds himself falling for Izzy, the gentle and beautiful runaway who is mending in his cottage. As the leader of an imminent uprising against the nobility, he tries to resist his growing feelings for Izzy to protect her from the dangerous life he’s chosen. But the longer she stays, the more he hopes she’ll never leave. When Izzy’s true identity is revealed, Cole feels betrayed. With the rebellion underway, can Cole forgive Izzy and find a way to save her from an unhappy marriage? Or will he and his peasant army be destroyed before he has the chance to fight for the people and the woman he loves?

In this four-book ebook bind-up of romantic, fairy-tale-like YA novels from bestselling author Jody Hedlund, three separate noblewomen—Rosemarie, Juliana, and Sabine—face difficult choices, dangers, and painful truths as they work to find a way to protect their futures. And as each meets one of the noblest knights in the land, they must also protect their hearts. This bind-up The In this novella prequel to An Uncertain Choice, a young Lady Rosemarie finds herself developing her first romantic feelings, directed toward the son of a visiting noble couple. But just as the two begin to explore what their feelings toward each other may be, a terrible illness sweeps through the estate and leaves both of Rosemarie’s parents gravely ill. As Rosemarie begins taking over duties in the castle, she uncovers a vow her parents have kept secret … one that could change her life, and her romantic future, forever. An Uncertain Choice: On the cusp of her eighteenth birthday, the beautiful and wealthy Lady Rosemarie knows it is her destiny is to fulfill a vow made by her parents, one that dictates she enter a convent on her eighteenth birthday. But as she prepares to enter the religious life in one month, Lady Rosemarie receives the news that there is an exception to the Ancient if she finds true love and is married by her birthday, she is freed from the obligation to become a nun. At the urging of her godfather, she agrees to allow the three handsomest and noblest knights in the land the chance to win her heart in thirty days. But when the knights’ arrival results in a series of attacks within her land, she begins to wonder if the convent is the best place after all. If only one of the knights—the one who appears the most guilty—had not already captured her heart. A Daring Sacrifice: Juliana is the daughter of a lord, but the circumstances of her father’s death have forced her to live in the woods of Wessex disguised as a young man. There, she helps the poor, starving peasants around her survive while her cruel uncle rules the lands that are rightfully hers. When she is captured during one of her raids by a neighboring lord, her life complicates her captor is Collin, a boy she knew in her past life, and he immediately recognizes her as both a notorious bandit and his redheaded former friend. As her uncle closes in on her location, and the bounty on her head increases, Juliana takes refuge in Collin’s castle. But the longer she spends with Collin, the more she questions her past decisions—and the more her heart bends toward Collin’s charms. For Love & Honor: Long ago, Lady Sabine gave up the hope of marriage due to a skin blemish on her hands and arms that, if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch and place her in tremendous danger. And who would want to love a woman so flawed? Instead, she tells no one of her curse and devotes her life to finding beautiful art and relics, purchasing them with her inherited wealth. Unbeknownst to her, however, her current journey to Sir Bennet’s estate is not to purchase a new piece, but her grandmother’s attempt to marry her off. At the same time, Sir Bennet’s mother has asked him to wed Sabine in order to secure the monies needed to repay the family’s debts. As Sabine and Bennet get to know each other, they find they are more matched than either could have expected, but their dual secrets linger in the background—and both, if not revealed in time, could lead to not only heartbreak, but their demise. Discussion questions for An Uncertain Choice, A Daring Sacrifice, and For Love & Honor are also included.