Descendants of Sherwood Series | Clean YA Fantasy
The Descendants of Sherwood Series by Mary Mecham is a fantastic clean series for Robin Hood fans.
Quick Summary
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy with Romance
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence)
Formats: eBook, Paperback,
Possibly Concerning Content*
🤬 Profanity: None
❤️ Romance: Kisses only
🛡️Violence: Medium, characters perish, injuries but no gore
‼️ Heads-Up: Animals are killed (not described) whippings, threats of assault on a woman.
Who is this for?
The Tropes: Enemies to more, forced proximity (chained together),
The Vibe: Fast paced escape story with a happy ending.
For Fans of: Robin Hood, female characters who are tough but not physically tougher than men, a teddy-bear MMC who looks like a grizzly bear.
Possibly Concerning Content Guide*
Click on 'possible spoilers' for details.
🤬 Q: Is there profanity in Laurel of Locksley?
A: No, there is no profanity.
❤️ Q: Is there a romance in Laurel of Locksley?
A: Yes, but the romance remained kisses only.
🛡️Q: What kind of violence is there in Laurel of Locksley?
A: Characters are held as prisoners. Characters are injured and some perish.
Violence Spoilers
Prisoners are beaten and starved (off page)
A character is whipped (heard, not seen)
A character is beaten
Dogs are killed (not described) and a person is bitten
Characters sustain wounds in combat
Characters perish (not described)
‼️ Q: Are there any heavy themes, triggering moments, or iffy subjects in Laurel of Locksley?
A: Yes, see violence and triggers spoilers.
Triggers Spoilers
A character's father attempt to kill them and is killed
A character is emotionally manipulated by their father
Jump to specific book review:
Book 1: Laurel of Locksley
Book 2: Laurel and Baron
Book 3: Baron of Nottingham
Book 1 Review: Laurel of Locksley
If you’ve spent any time on this blog, you’ll know I have a minor (major) obsession with all thing Robin Hood. Saying a book has a Robin Hood character or was even inspired by Robin Hood is all I need to know to give it a try. I’ve read a handful of Mary Mecham’s books (The Neverland series as well as Assassin of Fire) but the instant I saw she had a Robin Hood series I knew I had to set aside my current reading and dive in.
Laurel is Robin Hood’s daughter and, as one expects, has been raised among the Merry Men after her mother perished when she was young. She is a tomboy and has no time for the young men in her camp that try to flirt with her. What I loved most about Laurel is that, in a lot of these Robin Hood stories they make the women better than the men at things like fighting, shooting arrows, etc. Laurel is a fantastic fighter not because she is just better at fighting than the men, but because she’s so clever. She knows she can’t physically outmaneuver them, and while she’s a good shot with an arrow or her knives she knows welding a sword or staff against a man puts her at a disadvantage, so she uses her wits.
Thank you Mary Mecham for making a believable, likable, female character in Robin Hood’s world. It gets five stars for that alone.
Laurel, unfortunately, is captured by The Sheriff and his men who are in hiding from King Richard’s patrols. She manages to escape three times until Baron, a high-ranking officer in the Sheriff’s camp who is a natural tracker, manages to track her down and drag her back. Since he’s the only one she can’t outthink, the Sheriff chains them together, intending to use her to draw out her father and end their years of animosity.
Baron is a teddy bear that looks like a grizzly bear and I absolutely adored him. He’s quiet confidence with puppy dog eyes and falls for Laurel and her spirited ways. Obviously he can’t set her free, not without becoming a traitor, but he also can’t deny that he’s beginning to have real feelings for her.
I really liked this story. The plot is solid and filled with enough action to keep you flipping pages (I read it in two days). Robin is suitably charismatic, the Sheriff suitably evil, and the setting immersive enough to pull you in. My only complaint with this book would be the use of modern words and ideas that pulled me from the book occasionally. Things like, “Okay,” and, “Nope.” talking about cold fronts and temperature. Things that I’m not sure they would have known about back in that time. Despite this, I really enjoyed the book and recommend it as a clean read for anyone looking for clean young adult Robin Hood books.
I have not read the next two books yet but will update this page as soon as I have, so come back for the series review later!
Official Blurb (click dropdown)
"She was raised to be a hero… but is falling for her greatest enemy.
Laurel of Locksley refuses to live in her father Robin Hood’s shadow. Fierce, clever, and impossible to tame, she vows to forge her own legacy…until one mistake leaves her chained to Baron, an enemy guard far too skilled at holding her captive. What begins as sharp-edged rivalry soon sparks a dangerous connection… one that threatens everything she’s sworn to protect.
But alliances born in captivity and desperation are dangerous things.
Laurel fights the pull with everything she has. Baron still serves the Sheriff of Nottingham, the ruthless tyrant intent on executing her father and every last Merry Man. Now, Baron won’t let her go and the worst part is… Laurel isn’t sure she wants him to. His loyalty makes him her enemy. His kindness makes him impossible to hate. And the way he looks at her threatens to unravel every rule she’s ever lived by, but Laurel knows better than to trust the man who keeps her caged.
Whatever burns between them, it cannot be love… not when freedom demands that she escape him."
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📍*Possibly Concerning Content Disclaimer: I try my best to include all relevant content notes, or possibly concerning content, but I may not catch everything and/or you may feel things are concerning that I do not. Please research individually if you’re sensitive to specific topics/subjects! 📍
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