A provocative love story between a tough Kansas woman on a crooked path to redemption and the unlikeliest of champions, from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
The Reckless Oath We Made – Zee is nobody’s fairy tale princess. Almost six-foot, with a redhead’s temper and a shattered hip, she has a long list of worries: never-ending bills, her beautiful, gullible sister, her five-year-old nephew, her housebound mother, and her drug-dealing boss.
Zee may not be a princess, but Gentry is an actual knight, complete with sword, armor, and a code of honor. Two years ago the voices he hears called him to be Zee’s champion. Both shy and autistic, he’s barely spoken to her since, but he has kept watch, ready to come to her aid.
When an abduction tears Zee’s family apart, she turns to the last person she ever imagined—Gentry—and sets in motion a chain of events that will not only change both of their lives, but bind them to one another forever.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Zee
People talk about having an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. I had a pair of imaginary bill collectors, so no matter which way I turned, there was somebody to remind me I needed money. That’s how I ended up on a train at four o’clock in the morning with my nephew and a hundred pounds of weed.
We were hours behind schedule, but the westbound Southwest Chief was running on time. When the two trains met each other, they rattled back and forth, and the air that leaked in through the vents smelled like diesel and burning brakes. I could see into the other train’s windows, where a few people were still awake. Usually, it made me feel lonely, seeing those people so close but separated from me.
This time felt different. Having Marcus’ head resting in my lap reminded me I wasn’t alone. He was small like his mother and dark-haired like his father, but when he was asleep, he was like me. Always running hot and trying to burrow his way into things.
After hours of him sleeping on me, my hip hurt so much I kept hoping he would wake up, but he slept through the railroad crossing bells in every small town we went through. When he did wake up, rolling over and grinding his forehead into me, I didn’t make him move. I smoothed his hair down and said, “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here. Go back to sleep.”
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Leave it to Bryn Greenwood to find loyalty and love in a world that seems devoid of both….Captivating, complex, and relentless, the story of Zee and Gentry is the reason we read, the chance to take a journey we’d never dare in real life, one that changes our perspective forever.”
—Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader
“Unforgettable…Greenwood depicts an unconventional romance with honesty and tenderness. [This] upside-down contemporary fairy tale captivates with its wonderfully inventive storytelling and its compassionately drawn, flawed characters.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“The inventiveness of the plot is nicely matched by the richness of the characters, as the unlikely duo of Zee and Gentry prepares for the battle of their lives.”
—Booklist
“A gorgeously-written hypnotic novel….Greenwood is an enormously talented writer, whose stunning prose and uniquely gritty and sympathetic characters completely captivated me.”
—Jillian Cantor, author of Margot
“A love story about two total misfits that will challenge you. Perfect for book clubs.”
—PopSugar
“For an unconventional love story, read: The Reckless Oath We Made.”
—Refinery29
“An improbable alliance and an unlikely hero will capture your heart…[as] several captivating narratives push and pull at one another, stretching loyalties to the brink of destruction. You won’t be able to put down this mesmerizing novel.”
—Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, bestselling authors of The Good Widow
“A rough-around-the-edges Kansas woman and a true-to-life knight meet in unexpected circumstances, sparking an unusual story of love and companionship.”
—Palm Beach Post
“This novel is one to reread and treasure. I loved every word.”
—Barbara Claypole White, author of The Perfect Son
“A truly unforgettable tale that redefines what it means to be heroic. Your inner phoenix will roar!”
—Therese Walsh, author of The Moon Sisters
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About the Author
Bryn Greenwood is a fourth-generation Kansan, one of seven sisters, and the daughter of a mostly reformed drug dealer. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Kansas State University. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Last Will, and Lie Lay Lain. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas.
Expected on: 20 August 2019
