Upcoming Release: The Autumn Throne: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Autumn Throne: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Elizabeth Chadwick
Release date: October 4, 2016
Series: Eleanor of Aquitaine
Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN-10: 1402296843


"The Son She Loved. The Betrayal She Faced. The Legend She Became.

The stunning conclusion to the Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy

Imprisoned by her husband. Separated from her children. If King Henry II thought these things would push his queen into submission, he was wrong. Eleanor of Aquitaine refused to give into his tyranny. Freed by his death, she became dowager Queen of England. But the competition for land and power that Henry bred among his sons had grown into a dangerous rivalry that Eleanor must skillfully control. Eleanor would need every ounce of courage and fortitude as she crossed the Alps in winter to bring her son Richard his bride, ransom him from imprisonment and deal with his brother John's treachery. Her indomitable spirit would be tested to its limits as she attempted to keep the peace between her warring sons, fend off enemies, and negotiate a magnificent future for a chosen granddaughter".

Amazon
Book one: The Summer Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine
Book two: The Winter Crown: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine
Book three: The Autumn Throne: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine
~Lizzie~ 

Book Review: TO DEFY A KING by Elizabeth Chadwick

Daughter of England’s greatest knight William Marshall, Mahelt Marshall was the soft spot in her fathers heart. Only having his daughter’s best interest in mind William made the best marriage match he could possibly make for his beloved Mahelt. Hugh Bigod the heir to the Earldom of Norfolk was a handsome youth that like his father was man of high integrity. Her father had perfectly matched them on many different levels. Mahelt was a bold and stubborn while Hugh was calm and reasonable. Together they connected on a deeper level of understanding and love.

Leading up to their marriage the Marshall family had been the focus of the tyrant King Johns wrath. Mahelt’s beloved brothers had been held as royal hostages for confirmation of the marshall’s good will towards the king. The Bigod household had taken Mahelt in at a younger age than most marrying women because with King Johns eye on the marshal’s her father knew the safest place for her was as far away from john as possible. She would be safe under the Bigod family’s protection. The safety of her new family lasted for a time but King John had been on a rampage of an abuse of his power. He was a ruthless king that had turned against his loyal Bigod and Marshall supporters. John was determined to bring the Bigods and the Marshall’s to heel or crush them into submission. With John determined to destroy both of her families Mahelt was forced to defy the king and fight for her family  marriage, and their future.

4/5 Everybody needs a little Chadwick in their life because I think she is right up there with Jean Plaidy as far as historical fiction greats go. I really enjoyed this novel because I never expected Mahelt to be so feisty! This novel I would highly recommend to all historical fiction lovers because Chadwick is gifted at weaving such beautiful stories.

FTC ~ this novel is from my personal collection.
R ~ Rating for violence and sexual references.

Amazon: TO DEFY A KING by Elizabeth Chadwick

CONNECT WITH ME:
S U B S C R I B E ~ T W I T T E R ‪ ~ F A C E B O O K ~ I N S T A G R A M ~ G O O G L E +‪

~L I Z Z I E~

Book Review: THE SHARP HOOK OF LOVE by Sherry Jones

A 12th century version of Romeo and Juliet, Heloise d’ Argenteuil possessed a gifted mind and a pure heart. Raised in a convent her future had been decided long before her mother had died. Her uncle Filbert had fetched her from the convent upon her mother’s death because she was to be educated in Paris by the finest scholars. Heloise was a woman ahead of her times and her uncle thought she was “gifted” for a woman. As she got to know her uncle Cannon Filbert she discovered he was committed to the church only for ambitious reasons and he had developed a violent drinking problem. Filbert spent his nights drinking himself into a stupor while Heloise avoided him at all costs.

At this time Pierre Abelard was head master at the Notre-Dame Cloister School; he had taken the position and turned his back on his inheritance to follow his dream of being a prolific scholar. He was handsome and also possessed a gifted mind that only people like Heloise could banter with. The pair had crossed paths by chance one day yet Heloise’s reputation for her keen intellect and virtue had preceded her. Abelard had heard of her this great woman scholar and he had hoped to cross her path. The pair became instantly smitten with each other. They convinced uncle Filbert to allow Abelard who was considered one of the most brilliant scholars of the time to tutor Heloise.

Heloise quickly found herself falling deeply in love with Abelard. They were like mirrored souls both in intelligence and beauty. Acknowledging their illicit love would be the beginning of a tumultuous love affair that would nearly consume them. They fiercely loved each other yet their lives had been pre-determined long before they had fallen deeply in love. Abelard was sworn to the church and Heloise was promised to the abbey. If their love affair became public knowledge it would be a scandal with dire consequences. Love or religon, this romantically tragic novel will play at your heartstrings. Sherry Jones’ vividly portrayed Heloise and Abelard as France’s own 12th century star crossed lovers.

5/5 Beautifully tragic in all the best ways a book could possibly be. This novel really grabbed me into the story of Heloise and Abelard. Sherry Jones wows with another great historical fiction novel that is just the right mixture of love and loss. I would highly recommend this novel to all historical fiction lovers.

FTC- this novel is part of my personal collection
R-Rating for sexual reference and violence.

Amazon: The Sharp Hook of Love by Sherry Jones

STAY CONNECTED WITH ME:
S U B S C R I B E ~ T W I T T E R ‪ ~ F A C E B O O K ~ I N S T A G R A M ~ G O O G L E +‪

~L I Z Z I E~

New Historical Fiction Release: The Sharp Hook of Love by Sherry Jones

In stores today! The Sharp Hook of Love by Sherry Jones
"Among the young women of 12th century Paris, Heloise d’Argenteuil stands apart. Extraordinarily educated and quick-witted, she is being groomed by her uncle to become an abbess in the service of God. But with one encounter, her destiny changes forever.
Pierre Abelard, headmaster at the Nôtre Dame Cloister School, is acclaimed as one of the greatest philosophers in France. His controversial reputation only adds to his allure, yet despite the legions of women swooning over his poetry and dashing looks, he is captivated by the brilliant Heloise alone. As their relationship blossoms from a meeting of the minds to a forbidden love affair, both Heloise and Abelard must choose between love, duty, and ambition.

Sherry Jones weaves the lovers’ own words into an evocative account of desire and sacrifice. As intimate as it is erotic, as devastating as it is beautiful, The Sharp Hook of Love is a poignant, tender tribute to one of history’s greatest romances, and to love’s power to transform and endure".

More From Sherry Jones:

Four Sisters, All Queen's

White Heart ~ e-book

Jewel of Medina

Sword of Medina

~Lizzie~

Book Review: TO BE QUEEN by Christy English

“To Be Queen”, queen of France that is if you are Eleanor of Aquitaine. I think this read can be summed up in one sentence: “be careful what you wish for because you just might get it”. Eleanor of Aquitaine; what a mighty woman she was not just in spirit but in heart. She has been labeled as a villainess by men throughout history for centuries but in truth no man could rule Eleanor she was her own woman. As a child the only request she ever put at her father was that he would push to make her queen of France by marriage to Louis of France. Sadly Eleanor’s father would pass away under strange circumstances before he saw Eleanor’s betrothal to Louis reached full actuality. Eleanor’s father was a very smart man and before his death he made sure Eleanor made all the Aquitaine’s nobility proclaim their love and devotion to her. Eleanor made a game of their proclamations of love by having her nobles sing or read her poetic tales of love for their Duchess and praise her beauty. It was the beginning of what history has labeled as “courtly love”. Courtly love would become the norm in Eleanor’s court but when her father passed away so suddenly Eleanor knew the one way to protect herself and what was rightfully hers by birth right was to finalize her marriage to Louis of France and become queen

The marriage negotiations were under way but things had hit a bit of a bump in the road in the form of Eleanor’s rights and property. Can we say pre-nuptial please? Louis’ camp wanted Aquitaine and Eleanor would never let that happen. For that to come to pass it would have to be literally over her cold dead body. In the end Eleanor got what she wanted and she did not sacrifice Aquitaine to get it. It came down to Eleanor would keep her land and when she produced an heir and he came of age the Aquitaine would pass to him. When the moment finally arrived for her to meet her all but legal new husband Louis it was love at first sight. Louis was a handsome man but to Eleanor it was wasted on his pious ways. Eleanor would come to find out that Louis had not always been destined for the throne and he was not the man she thought he should be.

Louis was not originally meant to rule France and that was because he had an older brother. His brother from a young age was in kingly training and since Louis was the younger brother he was sent to the church. He was destined for a life in the church and grew up believing he would be a very active part of the church. His brother would pass away and Louis would become the new heir. It would be an understatement to say Louis was pious because the reality of his and Eleanor’s situation is that Louis even as King Louis lived like a monk in a monastery. Louis was pious and a bit too zealous in his practice for Eleanor's taste. That was not the kind of life Eleanor signed up for she did not want to live like a monk. Eleanor was a woman that was built for passion and Louis would never be able to give that to her and it would be their marriages undoing.

4/5 I love me some Eleanor of Aquitaine. She is by far the most intriguing woman of the medieval time period because no man could hold her down. Christy English captured the heart and soul of the woman who held captive so many courtly hearts in medieval Europe. Bravo to Christy English she once again brings another historical fiction novel that even Eleanor herself would be proud of. Recommended reading for medieval historical fiction lovers.

• PG-13 Rating for some sexual references
• FTC-This novel was sent to me by the publisher for review.

Check out the HFRT Giveaway for an autographed copy of To Be Queen"

Guest post by Christy English on Eleanor of Aquitaine

On the group site is an extra special giveaway too!

Amazon

HFRT event Christy English and giveaway

Announcing a grand HFRT event! This time around the group is featuring the fabulous Christy English and her latest release "To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine". For more on the event: check out the groups main site and schedule for the down low on what will be going on in the next week or so. I can not wait to feature this one because I know the ladies have some wonderful posts up their sleeves just waiting for us all to ooh and ahh over.

"The author of The Queen's Pawn delves into the early life of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine in her new historical novel.
After her father's sudden death, fifteen-year-old Eleanor is quickly crowned Duchess of Aquitaine and betrothed to King Louis VII. When her new husband cannot pronounce her given name, Alienor becomes Eleanor, Queen of France.
Although Louis is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by the church and a God that Eleanor doesn't believe in. Now, if she can find the strength to fight for what she wants, Eleanor may finally find the passion she has longed for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen".

Amazon

To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine
The Queen's Pawn

To celebrate the event kick off Historically Obsessed is having a Giveaway!

Open to EVERYONE this one is INTERNATIONAL

Up for grabs is one finished autographed copy of To Be Queen by Christy English

The ONLY rule is you MUST fill out the form below.

Book Review: THE REBEL PRINCESS by Judith Koll Healey

Two power punched reads from Healey in one month, and to think initially both reads flew under my radar. Good thing I was given a heads up on them because both books were a real treat to read and review.

In the first book “The Canterbury Papers” readers follow French princess Alais on a covert mission to retrieve Eleanor of Aquitaine’s secretly stashed papers that were hidden in the Becket's alter in Canterbury cathedral. Of course it was not that easy and after a wildly covert mission Alais found the true love she did not even know she was looking for. After reading both books I realize my favorite aspect of the first book was that it was Alais rediscovering herself and finding what her true purpose in life was to be.

The sequel “The Rebel Princess” kept to the same beat as the first book, which I was hoping it would. I had a prior feeling that if the same elements I so much enjoyed were not there then it could be devastating to me. As far as books go Judith states it best “Romance has to have a hero, a quest, death, and love interest”, which is more than true for me. In my reads I must have those components to hold my interest or I can not finish it. I can say it was everything I ever hoped it could be.

That princess Alais is a favorite of mine. She was such a rebel in every sense of way possible. Book two picks up immediately after the first book left off. Alais is back at her brother the king of France’s court when the light of her life the hunky Templar knight William of Caen. Upon hot William's arrival back at court a fire storm of intrigue blew up in Alais’ face. The issue was to the south of France; the pope wanted the so called “heretics” rising in the south to be handled and if that was going to happen it meant that France would have to step in. Alais’ brother king Philippe would have to take arms up against his own blood cousin the count of Toulouse but wait a second it all did not make since Philippe was the counts overlord. The pope sent his religious henchmen to convince the king of the necessity of going south. Little did they know that Alais had received a heads up about the men of the church from her cousin the counts wife (Eleanor of Aquitaine's daughter) and Alais was more than willing to step in and swing with the big boys in the unscrupulously game of waging a holy war. With a bloody religious war on the event horizon a mystical chalice is stolen and many people go missing. The one person Alais never harm to come to gets snatched up in the night and swept into a sea of intrigue that is filled with dirty politics. Alais is left with no choice but to rebel and get down to the matter of finding her loved ones before harm can come to them.

5/5 loved it; this is the book I am so pissed about. My mom’s dog chewed up the spine of my copy. I loved them both so much that I MUST buy a new one for my collection. This was one of the fastest paced duo’s I have ever read, it is more than enjoyable that both books go deep into detail in the what if factors of Alais’ life. Since we know next to nothing about her I think this fills the nothing void in a bit. I would recommend this highly for medieval fans.

PG-13 Rating- Violence

FTC- Sent to me from publisher

Amazon

The Rebel Princess 

The Canterbury Papers: A Novel

Book Review: FOR THE KINGS FAVOR by Elizabeth Chadwick

Elizabeth Chadwick once again delivers the goods and I have to place her right up there with Jean Plaidy.  Just like a fine wine Chadwick is to be savored all the way down to the last drop. I have noticed that Elizabeth has a few defining qualities similar to Jean Plaidy; steadiness, unquestionable historical accuracy, and a gift for conveying intricate human psychology. What more could a reader ask for; because it really does not get much better than that. In other words you can not go wrong with any book by Chadwick because you will find nothing short of a world the envelopes you completely.

The youthful and exquisite Ida de Tosney was a ward of King Henry II, one would think she would be under his protection. The predicament was there was no one that could shield her from the king and when he took a fancy to her there was no escape. In my mind the king wrongfully took from Ida what he was not entitled to have. He preyed upon her and left her with no other choice but to be his royal mistress. It was an abuse of power that eventually led to Ida to becoming pregnant. She was not exactly happy with her life when she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. I do not see how it was possible for her to be happy with King Henry constantly after her.  Sadly Ida’s only escape at the time was her child and she put everything she had into him. Being a forced royal mistress continued while Ida waited for the right time to make a move to get away from the king and Rodger Bigod was just the man she needed to accomplish the task at hand.

Ridger Bigod came from a diverse family home. His father led a rebellion against the king and failed miserably at it. Thank goodness Rodger even as a young man had enough sense to know that what his father asked him to do in the rebellion would lead to no good. He turned on his wolfish father and headed to his mother. This is where it gets interesting. His father had his marriage annulled to his mother when he was a boy and he was forced to stay with his father while his mother left. A bitter rivalry later ensued between his stepmother and way younger half bothers. His father was an evil man but he got his just desserts from the king and the crown seized his title of Earl of Norfolk. When Rodger’s father passed away a short time later it was then that the bitter battle against his surviving relatives for the title of Earl began. Thus leading Rodger to court the king’s favor. To gain a kings favor is a feat in itself but to hold it is a extraordinary feat especially when Ida was making her own plans for the future.  Sadly Ida has to make the hardest choice a mother could ever have to make. One that even I cannot even comprehend having to do and all for the favor of a king.

5/5 This is the third Chadwick read down this year and I just started reading her this past spring. My new bucket list goal is to make sure I read all of Elizabeth Chadwick’s books. She is brilliant with human psychology and it is a real treat when a 500+ page book flies by in what feels like an instant. One very cool feature of these books is they can be read in a row or as stand-alone novels. I loved that this book ties into “The Greatest Knight” and “The Scarlet Lion” but I would say if you have not read any of them then I would do it “For The King’s Favor”, “The Greatest Knight”, then “The Scarlet Lion”. Just in case you were wondering William Marshal is Rodger Bigod’s BFF and YES they both are very sexy husbands.

R-rating for detailed sexual moments.

FTC-this book was sent to me by the publisher for review.

This book is also published under the title "The Time of Singing". "For The Kings Favor' will be available in bookstores everywhere September 1st 2010.

Amazon:

For the King's Favor 

The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion

The Scarlet Lion

To Defy a King

The Champion

Book Review: THE CANTERBURY PAPERS by Judith Koll Healey

Wow I am stunned, this read packs a hidden punch. I really did not know what to expect but whatever I was expecting this read went way beyond that. I can not wait to read the sequel “The Rebel Princess”.

The princess Alais of France has in the past year drawn me into a few reads like “The Queens Pawn” by Christy English. I have not until now had an opportunity to read a novel about Alais’ later years. I had been searching for some read that focuses on her time after Henry II died and after she moved back home. Most importantly to me was the years when her brother Philippe was ruling king of France.

“The Canterbury Papers” was a riveting read to the point where you could read 100 pages easily in one sitting and not have your brain hurt. In reality there is little known documentation of princess Alais' time after she went back home to France. I love Alais’ story even if she grew up in one the most confusing circumstances. Her father was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It was not one of the best matches and Eleanor divorced him for the king of England. It was later that he remarried and later had Alais. Her and her sister were sent to the English king and queen, why he sent his little girls to his ex-wife I will never understand. I bet he regretted it until the end of his days. As we all know Eleanor and king Henry II’s love match reached a sour point and Henry locked Eleanor up and separated her from all the children including Alais. In this read Alais was promised to Eleanor’s son Richard who would become Richard the Lion heart the future King of England, she loved Richard but that did not stop his father from plucking one of the untouchable court flowers. In the end the king always got what he wanted and certainly there are consequences for getting down with the king. The question this read covers is did Alias have a child by the king or more logically did the child survive?

The best part of this read is that none of it is set in the above mentioned time frames. I found it pleasurable that the story did intermingle Alais' past with the present. The whole kick off point of the read is when Alais receives a letter from Eleanor; she needs Alais to go on a covert mission to Canterbury cathedral. Her mission objective is to retrieve Eleanor’s letters hidden in the church behind the martyr Becket’s alter. I know you are wondering why Alais would even consider undertaking a dangerous mission for Eleanor’s good given what had passed between them. Eleanor pulls at Alais’ one soft spot she makes a mention of rewarding her for her service with privy information about Alais’ mysterious child that for all she knew was dead and had been dead for sometime. Of course she had to go to Canterbury and she would come to find out like many other nobles of this time period that where ever King John roved no one was safe.

5/5 Word can not even express how intriguing this read was it was mysterious in all aspects. It was like a puzzle that once you completed part of it you make the realization that by solving that one part of it you revealed three more unseen puzzles. Healey amazed me with her fluent gift of story telling, she is reminiscent of the great Elizabeth Chadwick and at one point used my favorite Chadwick’s favorite medieval slang for William Marshall “slugabed”. The other part that makes me think of Chadwick is another welcomed appearance from William Marshall. In case you are wondering in this one he is so hot even in this read. This book was such a joy to read it had the Templar Knights, sneaky queens, and all in the middle of it Alais on a quest for the truth which might not be so forthcoming. I would highly recommend this read to HF medieval enthusiasts.

PG-13 mild violence and mild sexuality
FTC This book was sent to me by the publisher.

Sundays Art: Pre-Raphaelites, Fair Rosamund and Queen Eleanor

As I had mentioned before it is time to get into some of the darker Pre-Raphaelites. I figured that starting with this one that has my new favorite leading lady Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine would be perfect. Since I just finished reading "The Queen's Pawn" by Christy English, this is the best starting point to explore some of the darker, more sinister Pre-Raphaelites. Fair Rosamund is not a leading character in "The Queen's Pawn" but is briefly mentioned in Eleanor's thoughts. I would eventually love to read a book on Rosamund but at this moment nothing has peeked my interest.

"Fair Rosamund and Queen Eleanor" 1862

Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1822-98

Pen and ink, watercolour, gouache and gum on paper

"Burn-Jones manages to convey Rosamund's very real terror as she realizes she is unable to escape. Her face, swollen as though with tears, demands sympathy from the viewer; Eleanor's face, determined and cold, only serves to create in the viewer  a dislike for he queen. The artist required the viewer to feel sympathy for the mistress, not the wife; this is in  direct opposition to the prevalent Victorian attitude. Similarly contrary is the artist's decision to clothe the king's mistress in a virginal pale gown, and his wife in witch-like black".

"Burne-Jones treated the story of Fair Rosamund several times in the early 1860s. According to legend, King Henry II created a hidden chamber for his mistress, Rosamund, at the centre of an elaborate maze. There she was discovered and murdered by her rival, Queen Eleanor. While he was a student at Oxford, Burne-Jones visited Godstowe, the presumed site of Rosamund's grave. But a fresh impetus for his group of pictures came from Swinburne's verse drama of 1860, which enacts the confrontation of Rosamund and the Queen". The Tate Gallery

I am unsure if the one below is a Pre-Raphaelite but it is by my favorite Pre-Raphaelite artist and I just could not leave it out of this post. 

"Fair Rosamund" 1917
John William Waterhouse 1849–1917(1849)(1917)

Oil on canvas

Stay tuned next Sunday for more Pre-Raphaelites and I hope you all enjoyed this one. 

Book Review: THE QUEEN'S PAWN by Christy English

I have been waiting what feels like an eternity to read this book. I have had the ARC since the beginning of the year but because of my tight reading schedule I was not able to get to it sooner. Finally I have done it I have read it and I really enjoyed it. Christy English is by far one of the nicest authors I have ever come into contact with and I am so glad that she found me and offered me "The Queens Pawn" for review. Since I am new to this whole medieval time period of the 11th century I genuinely can say that this is a period that I am falling in love with. It started first with Elizabeth Chadwick and now continues on with Christy English.

Alais, Princess of France was the daughter of Louis VII. Louis was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine but as many know that did not work out and Eleanor left him for the King of England Henry II. Alias’s father married her mother after Eleanor left and sadly her mother died when she was a baby. It is hard for me to think of any child growing up with out a mother but for girls it is so much harder. They need that extra maternal devotion and when Alais was sent to England to marry Eleanor and Henry’s son Prince Richard she was immediately taken under Eleanor’s wing as a true daughter. The two women shared a deep kinship more like kindred spirits of a special kind. Eleanor saw in Alais some of her own defining qualities and took on an instant unconditional love for Alais.

It was a mess what Alais walked into in England, Eleanor and Henry’s relationship had already turned sour and the whole family were on the verge of war. It was a good thing for Alais that at one point she spent some time in a nunnery when Eleanor was being shady to the king. The whole book took a drastic turn when Alais went to court at Whitehall to be with Eleanor and Richard. I believe Alais deeply loved Richard and that since she had been so sheltered in her life at France she had no idea that when Richard swore his oath to her that it might not all be true. She wanted real love and would not accept anything less.

As we all know revenge is a dish that is best served cold but Alais made her revenge a steaming hot plate of deceit. An unexplainable force drew her to the king and she reacted out brashness and made the biggest mistake of her life. Turning her back on Eleanor and Richard she destroyed all that was in her path. Alais rejected Richard and Eleanor’s love and only accepted the Kings. Hum lets see bad idea or good idea? To love a man that locked his wife up for over 20 years, and who easily turned on his own children. It just made me wonder what she saw in him.

4/5 I really enjoyed this read but I have this little nagging feeling that other avid lovers of this period might not enjoy it as much as me. For the only reason that maybe since I am new to this period that I might just not have enough of the whole history to really understand if things were left out or events changed. I would highly recommend this book to newbies of this time period. All in all it was a easy read that was not complicated and flowed very nicely. No confusion here which is very important to me. Plus I love this beautiful cover the ladies are just too pretty in those dresses.

Thank you Christy for sending me this wonderful book I really enjoyed it. I can not wait for the next one on your ladies!

Today In History, Lent and Eleanor of Aquintane

I felt it was just the perfect time to cover this for all the avid historical fiction fans. Just like the Eve of Saint Agnes, Lent is also another part of historical novels. To truly grasp a character you have to experience as a reader all aspects of this person. One thing that tends to be glossed over sometimes in reading is that the person might just be a spiritual person. Lent has always been the dreaded event in some reads and in others it is merely a brief mention of fish for dinner. For this particular issue I went straight to the source and got some real awnsers courtesy of my local Paster "Karl" from Emanuel Lutheran church. He was kind enough in walking me through the explanation of Lent. Lets all just get this off the table and settle it down once and for all and clear up any misconceptions. 

Q: What is Lent? 

A: It's the 40-day period of repentance and renewal preceding easter. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the Easter service. Holy Week commemorates Christ's last week of life on earth. It's the final, most important part of Lent. 

Q: Why is it important? 

A: The Lenten period allows us time to recall the easter story and absorb its meaning.  Christ lived and died to redeem the world from sin. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, our lives can be renewed: we can renounce sin and begin to live for god.

"Lent During the middle ages: Strict 40-day fasts (abstinence from meat and other foods), not attending festivities, etc., were obligatory for Christians. Gradually these practices became less rigid". 

"Todays Lent: The emphasis has shifted from long periods of fasting to prayer, meditation and reflection on the meaning of Easter. Lent remains important as a time of preparation for and renewal of baptism". 

"Fontevraud Abbey, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France. Nave of the abbey church of St. Mary. In the foreground, the effigies of Richard I of England, Isabella of Angoulême, Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine (from right to left, front to back)".

Besides being Easter Sunday today it is also the day that Eleanor of Aquitaine passed away in the year 1204. I am just starting to cultivate my love for Eleanor but it has been a long time coming. I really can not wait to read "The Queen's Pawn" by  Christy English to go further with her. "The Greatest Knight" by Elizabeth Chadwick was a great way to sprout the little obsession I had inside me. Plus I am officially in love with William Marshal and he was her greatest champion ever, ... sigh.

"Eleanor died in 1204 and was entombed in Fontevraud Abbey next to her husband Henry and her son Richard. Her tomb effigy shows her reading a Bible and is decorated with magnificent jewelry. By the time of her death she had outlived all of her children except for King John and Queen Eleanor".

Book Review: THE SCARLET LION by Elizabeth Chadwick

I really went into this read with an oblivious perception. I have no prior knowledge of King John Except what I have read in “The Greatest Knight” but in that he was still Prince John. I loved “The Greatest Knight” and that follows William on his younger exploits. Starting with him as a young squire nicknamed “guzzle guts” and then in his later crusade years to Jerusalem. Yet even later in his middle age when he meets the divine Isabelle.

“The Scarlet Lion” can be a stand-alone novel and I originally set out with “The Scarlet Lion” first. To be completely honest I got to page sixty and just knew I was missing the full value of William Marshall’s hotness. I NEVER do this but I dropped everything and went to the closest bookstore, which happened to be a “Barnes and Noble”, and bought myself a brand new copy of “The Greatest Knight”. I am so glad I did, my instinct told me I was getting the glory years first and I had to go back. I was on the PBS (paper back swap) list for “The Greatest Knight” my spot in line was in the two hundred plus range. The PBS wish list was at a large three hundred plus people waiting to get their wish granted for this one book. For more on “The Greatest Knight” check out my review here.

“The Scarlet Lion” picks up right where “The Greatest Knight” ended. Thank goodness too because I did not want to miss a single one part about William. At times in this read I found it different from "The Greatest Knight" in the fact that it seemed like it was more of a dual prospective on things that were going on. It was William and Isabelle’s stories combined that made for excellent reading. Trailing William in his days of service to King Richard all the way to his later years of service to Richard's little brother who became King John. I loved how the different prospective played off on each other. I enjoyed the divided of locations and events when the couple were not together, it enabled a 360 degree prospect.

Playing like in reality, William away at court serving the King John was in the dark about what Isabelle was going through and it was the same for Isabelle too at times. She would be in the dark about his adventures until he showed up at the home front. This read really surprised me every time I though I knew what was going to happen it completely took a different turn.

Isabelle to William:

“My father had no ear for music and it was one of his worst sins in her (Aoife, Isabelle’s mother) eyes. He said it all sounded like cats mating in a cauldron”.

How far can a man's honor be stretched? This is the question that must have been going through William’s mind during the whole time. After years of dedicated service to the royal family one person in the family had grown quite green with envy over William Marshall’s rise to earldom. One person that was not to be taken lightly either, King John was bound and determined to break William pride and honorable standing in the world. Since John was of the devious type of personality it did not take long for William’s honest nature to become an issue between them. Honor bound William would not give in to John’s evil ploys.

William in thought about Baron Fulke FitzWarin’s Irish gaze hound:

“The beast had taken a fancy to William and kept trying to sleep on his feet, thereby threatening to crush all feeling from them. Now and again its front end snored and its rear end produced quieter contributions that were nevertheless impossible to ignore.

5/5 Loved it! What a wonderful author to start with in this time period. I could not have done better in my selection of which author I would read first when it comes to knights. Highly recommended reading for everyone because Chadwick has a gift for fully immersing you in the time. She enables you to live and breathe the life of her novels. I have now added Chadwick to my list of favorite authors. Thank you Source books for sending me this wonderful novel, I am so glad you did!

Be sure and click on the image above to go to the Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table website to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a copy of the "Greatest Knight" and "The Scarlet Lion". I know WOW a chance to win both copies that is amazing, so just go you know you want to!

Book Review: THE GREATEST KNIGHT by Elizabeth Chadwick

The greatest knight indeed, that William Marshall is by far one of the hunkiest men ever written about, besides Robert Dudley. I do not know what I can say that has not already been said about him. Yes Elizabeth Chadwick breathes life into historical fiction. She even takes it a step farther and makes it more than that. As a reader it is like being Alice in Wonderland and falling down a rabbit hole finding your self transported to another place and time. I became immersed in William’s time and it is proof that history is still hot. "The Greatest Knight" is a prime example that history is still sexy even today.

Set during the tumultuous Elenore of Aquitaine days in England. William is set to carve his story into history. Being a “newbie” to this period I found this sometimes-intimidating period easy to follow through heartthrob William. At heart he was Elenore’s man but he also became my new man. He gave chivalry a new meaning to me right along with loyalty. Prior to this read I did not know that when a knight swore loyalty it was for life only to be broken by death.

William’s story of the middle son with a terrifying childhood story of almost getting hung by his giblets at five years old by King Stephen was just his first lesson in loyalty to the King. Going on to fight his own way into the tourneys he found great success. What was it about William that was so enticing, was it is benevolent personality and impeccably noble character? I believe it was a combination of the mix along with a few other honorable traits including singing and sewing. A romantic you could say but still a realist.

In an era like this it can be down right confusing as The War of the Roses. This family feud that started between a husband and wife led to their children against each other and against their parents. How did William fit into this battlefront, he became the queens man and swore his loyalty to her eldest young son. They called him the “Young King” and he was brash but William had known him since he was a child. Together they roamed the tourney circuit like modern day movie stars. But even movie stars fall from grace; knights and Kings were no exception to the rule.

5/5++ add me to the pool of people that have been constantly buzzing about this book. The buzz is right, read it, just read it, there can not be once person who will not think William Marshall is one of the hottest HF men ever written about after this read. It is worth all the attention and I must read more and follow up with “The Scarlet Lion”. I can finally say I read one of Chadwick’s book and now I can add a new author to my list of great historical fiction writers.

Be sure and click on the image above to go to the Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table website to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a copy of the "The Greatest Knight" and "The Scarlet Lion". I know WOW a chance to win both copies that is amazing, so just go you know you want to!