Once I Knew - Victoria Lynn

★★★★★

Being courageous means confronting the evil even if you’re afraid, but God is always with you.

A humble, quiet farm girl, Violet tries her best to stay under the radar of the vile kingsmen that plague her little village. All she wants is peace and freedom for herself, her granny, and her people, but no such luck appears to be in her future. To make matters worse, an unconscious kingsmen on death’s door presents her with the decision of following in Christ’s steps, or choosing the safety of herself. After all, the kingsmen are the enemy … right?

Narrative Voice: 3rd person
Cussing/profanity: 0/5
Drug/alcohol use: 0/5
Kissing: 1/5
Sex/nudity: 0/5
Violence/gore: 1/5

This is a change of pace for me. I’m afraid a Christian fiction book will sound preachy and the plot will take a backseat. But Victoria Lynn has proved to be an exception! Christian themes are woven into the story flawlessly and gain prominence the further you read. I was pleasantly surprised at the balance of plot and message, with neither being sacrificed for the other. With a poetic writing style of vivid metaphors, Victoria Lynn creates a world I can relate to.

Violet, poor girl, is very much not like me, but is still a character I admire. Her faith and courage is what I as a Christian hope to emulate. Beauty in grace, simplicity, and strength are what I absolutely love seeing in female characters! And Obed, oh sweet Obed. He has my heart. It is a rarity to see masculinity in recent fantasy that is so wholesome, and I love reading his chapters.

With a plot clearly showing the struggle between good versus evil, Once I Knew is a captivating story of relying on God in the hard times and recognizing He will give you the strength and courage to endure if you only ask. Also, I am not a romance reader, but THIS is the romance I love!! So tender and innocent, and the ending has me drowning in feels. Definitely reading the upcoming sequel!

5/5 would recommend