Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Alexa is a princess. As the only heir to the throne, she is compelled to marry and carry on the royal line. The only man she ever loved perished years ago in a fire. Or so she was led to believe. Every year, she must compete against worthy suitors in the royal battle fighting competition until one suitor can outsmart her and claim her hand in marriage. Every year, she has been the victor and, as such, is saved from having to marry. But this year, it’s harder and some of the so-called worthy suitors are downright mean, with evil powers. Even though she has her own magic to help her, she is faced with unexpected obstacles. That is, until one would-be suitor steps forward, not to claim her as his prize, but to help her defeat the others.

Alexis Tiger’s novelette, For Her Hand, is a comfortable little gem of a romantic fantasy story. Complete with all the elements of a good read, including magic, good pitted against evil, and the ever-so-charming hero rushing to the rescue, the plot develops at a steady pace that captures the reader’s attention and holds it from beginning to end. With good descriptive narrative, compelling dialogue and character development, the story is well constructed. The characters are believable and lovable (except for the evil characters). The incorporation of multiple forms of magic adds a little excitement to the mix. Where there is good and evil, magic and romance, there is always a good story.