Courageous by Dina L Sleiman

Will They Trust God's Call Even When It Leads To The Most Unexpected Places?

Inspired by the vision of the young Lady Sapphira, Rosalind of Ipsworth joins a group of men, women, and children as a defender of the cross, seeking to free captives from prisons near Tripoli. She'll gladly give herself to the cause, as she's haunted by a tragic mistake and feels she no longer deserves such joys as marriage and family might bring.

Sir Randel Penigree was reared to serve in the church but has always dreamt of protecting the innocent as a Templar knight. Joining a crusade to escape humiliation at home, he finds himself drawn to Rosalind as they partner to train and protect a group of adolescents. When faces with political intrigue and an unknown enemy bent on their destruction, they are forced to reconsider their priorities and the very nature of the God they serve. 

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Courageous is full of rich history and adventure. One reason I love historicals is because I love learning history this way. It is much more exciting than a history book. I didn't know much about the crusades until reading this book. You can tell Dina did a lot of research and was able to create some fictional events that fit well in the story while keeping factual events, too. The characters are strong and believable. Rosalind and Randel start out with a great friendship and they don't realize that it is turning into love. This book can read as a stand alone but I suggest starting at book one in the series, Dauntless, followed by book two, Chivalrous. I recommend this series for as young as preteen and up. 

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Dina Sleiman writes stories of passion and grace. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. Her debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion with Whitefire Publishing, won an Honorable Mention in the 2012 Selah Awards. Also look for her novels, Love in Three-Quarter Time, Dance from Deep Within, and her Valiant Hearts series with Bethany House Publishers. Dina serves as an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire Publishing as well, and she loves to teach at writers conferences throughout the US.

http://valiantheartsseries.blogspot.com/