The Falcon’s Heart
This is a romantic adventure and the first of a five-book series set in Poitou, France, during the rebellion of Richard the Lion-hearted against his father, King Henry II, in the late 12th century. Our hero Jevon (yes, you read that right), a squire on the eve of knighthood, was accused of stealing and branded as a thief. He fled and joined a band of mercenaries fighting for the English. Now, seven years later, he has returned. Is he looking for vengeance against the suzerain who punished him for a crime he didn’t commit? Or against the woman who reported his so-called crime? Or is he drawn back by the memory of the woman he once loved—the same woman, parbleu?
This is a romance, so you can guess. But there are also betrayals by friends, a couple of lively battle scenes, and the mystery of who really committed the fateful theft to solve. It’s a fun read, but don’t come looking for richly detailed period settings. The medieval French world is generically suggested at the Renaissance Festival level. And I just couldn’t get over the names. Not a medieval scholar here, but Jevon? Is this meant to be Jehan? Aumary for Amaury? Therri for Thierry?, etc. I suspect dedicated readers of romance won’t care. The protagonists are attractive characters, and they deserve each other.
