The Blacksmith's Son (Entangled Flirts)

by Rebecca Thomas

[Angie]

The Blacksmith's Son is a cute, Historical Romance novella with a twist. It's all about Ally, a young woman who is on the run from an evil earl. She's also the titled blacksmith's son. She's living as a boy, so she can work as as stable boy and earn a living for herself and her brother. One night, she's out in the stables to put a colt out of its misery, when that same evil earl finds her and beats her for tampering with his property. Captain Quentin Drake stumbles upon the scene, saves Ally, takes her back to the inn, and discovers that she is no stable boy! Once she's recovered, Ally sneaks out, declining the captain's help, desperate to keep her secret. However, Quentin has a hero complex and isn't willing to leave a damsel in distress.

Gender-bender plots are fun, and The Blacksmith's Son has a good one. I just wish the author had stuck with the way the plot had been unfolding rather than that convenient conclusion. It felt like a cop out, and took away all of the suspense of Ally being on the run. I still liked it, but that ending was a bit silly. The romance was pretty good. Quentin's hero complex was verging on stalkerish as he pursues Ally, but it kind of worked for this short story. It's super duper insta-lovey, but I don't tend to mind that so much in Historical Romance. As it was, The Blacksmiths's Son was a cute story which I'd recommend if you have an hour to fill up.

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