Hidden Honor
This enormously engaging romance is set during the reign of King John. Elizabeth of Bredon is to travel to the Convent of St. Anne’s. She believes herself to be thoroughly undesirable: she is taller than almost every man she knows, her red hair must come from the devil, she speaks her mind and is not in the least biddable, and her father certainly has never shown her any affection. Life as a nun is really the only option. Elizabeth will travel with a party that contains the King’s bastard son, on his way to the convent to do penance for killing a young woman, and a number of monks who are not quite what they seem. Elizabeth finds herself strongly attracted to the man called Prince William, despite the danger. The story is laden with suspense, and readers will find themselves holding their breath as events unfold. Events that occurred during the Crusades play a key role in the plot, adding to the historical detail present. Elizabeth is a wonderful character; many of the characters, both major and minor, are deftly drawn, and a pleasure to spend time with, even if you are, as I was, sitting on the edge of my seat during much of the second half of the book.
