ARC REVIEW Once a Soldier by Mary Jo Putney

I liked this one I really did. It's the start of a new series for Mary Jo Putney. It starts with the start of the Rogues Redeemed. Five soldiers caught and thrown in the basement of a local house and sentenced to hang in the morning. All five men listed things that they would change if they were by some miracle escape. It was almost morning when one of the men realized that the house was built by freemasons and they are notorious for building escape routes out of their houses. Thus the five soldiers vow to keep in touch and follow through on their promises of redemption and escape the hangman's noose.

It was an enjoyable story, likable characters, and great active setting. I love the little details she put into it, it really made the story come alive. It made it feel that San Gabriel was an actual place.

William Masterson threw off his duties as Baron Masterson of Hayden Hall and became a soldier, mourning the loss of his wife and son he joined hoping for death. He made it to the end of the war and has dealt with his grief and is ready to go home and pick up the title and the responsibility once again, but first he has one last job. Will is to escort a group of soldiers home and then assess if they need help rebuilding. Will leads the men home and what he discovers is a little piece of heaven and an amazon of a goddess named Athena Markham.

Athena is a British native who has made her home in San Gabriel and the Royal Family dear friends. She first come at the start of the war to bring Princess Sofia home from school and then act as a companion and tutor. She became an advisor to Sofia after the King and the heir were taken captive and have yet to returned. The end of the war and the return of the soldier is a time to rejoice hopefully things can start to get normal again. It was love at first sight for Will, Athena was a little stubborn she never thought she could find love or if it even existed, with whom her mother was and how she was raised she never hoped to find it herself, until Will. Will helps the Gabrilenos from fixing the bridges to digging out the wine from the caves, he even asks help from an old friend who runs a shipping business for help. But the biggest thing he does beside fall in love with Athena is help defend the land from French soldiers out to steal the land for themselves.

Overall, this was a very entertaining read.