Alissa

YA time travel and romance historical fiction. I got this for free on Amazon and started it for a quick, simple read. I had no expectations whatsoever apart from decent prose and it didn't disappoint. The story is voiced in first person by the protagonists, Meg, a recently-widowed modern girl coping with a past of domestic violence, and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Wales.

After a brief introduction when it is made clear her life is a wreck and no conflict would arise from divided affections, the heroine suddenly finds herself in the XIII century, and the reader is supplied no further explanation in this novel. Conveniently, she is of Welsh descent and can manage a little of the language, is fluent in French and was drilled in Welsh history by her mother.

The story flows easily, nothing happens actually, but the historical context is charming, as she travels from place to place and becomes privy to the political controversies, the self-interests at play, the battles of the time, and to Llywelyn's biggest regret.
Very (very) light on characterization, she is accepted with few questions asked, communication comes easily, the romance is linear and the contemps behave quite modernly, there is no tension apart from the fact she fears for the life of her beloved, fated to die at Cilmeri.
An element of originality is that she is a young mother and her child is with her, but this is also a prequel to a trilogy, and the book ends accordingly.

I'd give this 2.5 stars rounded to three because while I wasn't engaged, it was a fast, delicate read and the historical context of my interest, Llywelyn is surely an intriguing figure.