Court Duel by Sherwood Smith

Synopsis: The Countess Meliara, known as Mel, and her brother swear to her dying father that they will lead a revolution to usurp the throne from the greedy Galadran. Their rebellion leads to a war that they are unevenly matched for; equipped with impoverished farmers and makeshift weapons, they use their best strategies to hold their own, until the Marquis is called in by the King to solve the problem. After the war settles, Mel finds herself in even more dangerous waters at court. Here her sword is useless and she must learn quickly to use an even more dangerous weapon: her mind.

Review: I love this book and have read it several times. My copy is well worn and well loved. I think this is a classic adventure/romance novel with nonclassic characters and a well organized plot with twists and turns I never saw coming. It reminded me vaguely of another book I read called Trouble with Kings which too is about a war and court life, romance and fighting. I think this book is a great read and recommend it to others looking for a good, past-time read.