Jevon is a mercenary archer in Poitou, northern France, in this historical romance. His sharp sight and accuracy earn him the nickname of “le Falquet” or the Falcon, as his skills prove useful to warring lords. THE FALCON’S HEART has been cold for years. That’s about to change.
The 1170s were troubled times, when the Norman kings ruling Britain since the Conquest still held part of France, parcelled out among sons who wanted to be kings in their holdings. Rivalries were strong. Men who defended royalty were granted the title of baron, with land, and they trained up squires and granted them smaller holdings when they were knighted. Jevon was squire to Baron Laurant, and he fell in love with pretty young Constantia, an impoverished fifth daughter of a good family. The squire was accused over a missing brooch, which the baron’s wife thought he stole. Lady Gwenllian turns out to have misplaced more jewellery and given some as gifts, but at the time, Jevon had an unexpected amount of silver coins, and that was considered proof. He was outlawed.
Constantia now sees her castle besieged as we gain excellent descriptions of siege efforts and defences. Loyalty to one king or prince meant having to follow orders, but we are shown that generally, the soldiers weren’t trying to kill or maim, just to gain a surrender. During an escape, the young woman rushes into the woodland and is followed by none other than Jevon, who’s hoping she might be worth ransom. When he realises who he’s caught, that’s when their tale ignites.
Joyce DiPastena is an American author living in Arizona, who researches the Middle Ages and creates incredibly detailed romances and thrillers. Her chosen setting is full of powerful characters, laws, horses and stout buildings. Woodland and muddy roads have to be crossed, and the weather endured. Some people live on their skills – archers, minstrels, pedlars – while others are duty-bound. English, French and Welsh names mingle as the Normans marry into their new lands.
I greatly enjoyed reading the exciting and informative adventure THE FALCON’S HEART, which is part of the series Poitevin Hearts. If you have read any Jean Plaidy books about the period, this is a perfect way to continue your exploration. The romance can be read without blushing and surprisingly few people end up skewered.
He was banished for a crime he didn\'t commit. Has he returned for revenge or love?
Just weeks short of winning his knighthood, Jevon was accused of stealing a precious brooch from the baron\'s wife. Furious, the baron branded him a thief and banished him from Poitou. Jevon takes refuge among a band of disreputable mercenary archers who welcome the extraordinary eyesight that makes him nearly undefeatable with the bow. They dub him \"le Falquet\"—the Falcon. But the shame of his unjust brand haunts him, as do memories of the woman he loved. The same woman who accused him to the baron.
Constantia has grieved seven years over Jevon\'s banishment. He had called her his heart\'s twin. When the king\'s war with his sons comes to Poitou, she makes a desperate flight through the woods to warn the baron that their castle will be the next to fall. But an archer with a familiar face intercepts her, determined to prevent her from raising the alarm: Jevon, no longer an idealistic squire, but now a vengeful man.
Constantia is stunned to learn that Jevon thinks her to blame for his exile all these years. If he was not the thief she had been made to believe, who was? Love flames swiftly back to life when she and Jevon are reunited, but love may not be enough to overcome Jevon\'s pain at her betrayal unless she can discover the truth behind the missing brooch.
Poitevin Hearts, Book 1: Men and women living and loving amidst the political intrigues of medieval Poitou, a region of France once ruled by the Kings of England.
The Falcon\'s Heart is a PG rated historical romance.
The Poitevin Hearts romance series is linked together by recurring characters, but each title is written as a stand-alone novel. They can be read and enjoyed in any order.
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