Once I Knew
Information
Title:
Author:
Genre:
Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Recommended Age:
16+
Book Blurb:
Violet lives her quiet life in her sleepy village, trying to remain as dead to the politics that are threatening their world as possible. She follows the rules, stays out of trouble, and does her best to remain out of sight from the dreaded and overbearing kingsmen.
With the new regent on the throne till the prince comes of age, the country has been thrown into a turmoil. Unlike the kindly king before him, the new ruler is overbearing, frightening and tyrannical in his rule. Taxes are bleeding the people dry and without the money or goods to pay, they have been forced into penal servitude and imprisonment by the kingsmen, who show no mercy. The despair and fear that has taken over their lives has ruled out any level of hope.
When Violet stumbles upon an unconscious and injured Kingsman in the woods, despite the consequences, she is compelled to take care of the injured man. When he wakes and has no memory of his identity or past, she takes the only precaution that will keep her and her grandmother safe; she destroys the evidence of his past life.
If Violet’s lowly Kingsman regains his memory, will she survive the consequences? And will the Kingsman be able to live with his past life? Who will fight to free Elira?
Review:
Once I Knew, is a sweet fantasy romance that transports you to the kingdom of Elira, where the people have fallen into oppression at the hands of the Kingsmen. It kept me wanting to read more and find out what happens to Violet, the main character as she trusts God through the dangers of taking in a stranger, that she could be giving her life for.
Victoria writes a very cozy fantasy that made me want to sit and read, with a cup of tea in hand, wrapped in a warm blanket. I like how Victoria integrates scripture into her story and that her characters hear from God. I found the epilogue very fun to read and I’m glad she included the wedding, it was very sweet.
The only problem I had with this book is that some parts felt very slow and Victoria’s writing is very wordy and sometimes hard to follow. I found myself having to skip ahead a few paragraphs because I got bored, it was too wordy for my taste. Besides this though, Victoria is an excellent writer and I like that her writing has a lot of depth. It is just a personal preference to not read wordy, almost repetitive if you will, paragraphs.
All in all, I really like the story and I would give this another read, and read the next books in this series. If you like a cozy book with clean romance give this book a try it might surprise you!
Summary:
Violet is a farmer who has lost her parents and lives with her Granny. She finds a Kingsman in the forest wounded and in need of care. She takes him home and tends to his wounds, when he finally wakes up he doesn’t know who he is and has no memories of his past life.
Violet has risked everything by taking him in. He is a kingsman and there’s no telling what he could do to her and her granny. He is a Kingsman like the ones who took her father from her, but she can’t leave him to die. She keeps him hidden and is relieved when he doesn’t remember he is a Kingsman, she hopes he never remembers for her and Granny’s sake. She must trust that God has a plan even when things aren’t looking up for her when she struggles to care for her Granny who is losing her memories, and when she finds out the Kingsman’s memories have returned.
She must learn to give her worries to God and trust him, even after she finds out who the Kingsman is.
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Content
Beliefs:
The main character is a Christian who prays to God and reads the Bible. Scripture is quoted throughout the book and the characters hear from God. The Kingsman accepts Jesus as his savior, he realizes he was living in sin but has become a new creation. I really like how the author incorporates scriptures throughout the entire book.
Violence:
There is some violence but it isn’t descriptive or inappropriate. Violet finds the Kingsman barely alive in the woods, with several wounds. There are mentions of blood. There are weapons as it is a fantasy book. Violet at one point is held captive with a knife to her throat but all the while she is whispering a prayer.
Romance:
Violet and the Kingsman fall in love, they share a few kisses. A wedding scene is included at the end of the book. (I might be wrong but I think the extra scene of the wedding is only included in the hard cover edition.)
At one point, Violet is told that she needs to pay taxes but she doesn’t have the money, the kingsman who is collecting the money tells her that ‘there are other forms of payment we are willing to accept.’ Implying that he would take her “company” as payment. Nothing happens between her and the feared kingsman and she thanks God for protecting her.
Other Important Things
Disclaimer:
I aim to be as accurate as possible and may notice details that others might overlook, so please keep that in mind. This review is honest and reflects my sincere effort to provide a true assessment. This review is intended for informational purposes only and should be considered subjective.
Links:
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Find the author’s Instagram HERE.
Extras:
Quotes/Other:
“We have to realize that, while we are weak and want all of this to be over, He knows every single piece of the puzzle and the perfect timing for it all to fit together.”
Once I Knew by Victoria Lynn
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galations 5:1