Empire's Daughter - Empire's Legacy, #1

A B. R. A. G. Medallion Honoree; Eric Hoffer Finalist, 2021; BBNYA 2021 Semi-FinalistAn Emperor's request. A lover's refusal. And a young woman who must choose between them. Many generations past, the great empire from the east left Lena's country to its own defences. Now invasion threatens...and to save their land, women must learn the skills of war. But in a world reminiscent of Britain after the fall of Rome, only men fight; women farm and fish.
Lena's choice to answer her leader's call to arms separates her from her lover Maya, beginning her journey of exploration: a journey of body, mind and heart. Winner of multiple awards, both individually and as part of the first Empire's Legacy trilogy, Empire's Daughter is neither magical fantasy nor historical fiction, but a unique world both familiar and unfamiliar - an empire on the edge of history.
Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set (2019), Coffee Pot Book Club Awards; Readers' Favorite 5-Star Award, 2021 (as part of Empire's Legacy: The First Trilogy)