It’s time for another month of the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge: Unlock an Adventure. I’m so excited to join you on an adventure this year with guest reviews from our reading challenge participants. If you want to submit a review for upcoming months, feel free to sign up for a month here and use the Google form to submit your review. As my time has become too limited to do a suggestions post each month, I encourage you to jump over to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page and ask for suggestions from there or from any of a number of amazing reader groups like Avid Readers of Christian Fiction or check out the Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.
*The list of prizes available from my prize shelf can be found here.*
October’s Theme: Medieval Setting
November’s Theme: Archeologist or Paelontologist
Lord of Her Heart
by Sherrinda Ketchersid
Review by: Crystal Caudill
Every once and a while I want to enjoy a good medieval read. Usually, I just reread Lori Wick’s The Knight and the Dove or a fairytale retelling, but it was nice to step into a new story. This story had elements that I love from multiple other stories while still holding its own as a unique story.
The characters made you want to keep reading to see exactly what would happen. Jocelyn has the courage to disguise herself as a boy, going so far as to cut her hair. The author did a realistic job of the challenges and the weaknesses a woman would face trying to pose as a squire–a very physically demanding job. Then you have that gallantry and chivalry of the knight, Malcom, with realistic flaws. He was a hero you could cheer on, and at moments want to slap the sense into. The secondary characters were entertaining and supportive of the main characters.
I love how this story has a knight, jousting, subterfuge, and a bit of mystery and danger. It has definitely been added to my reread pile.
For Fans of: a good medieval story with villains, plots to overthrow, jousting, and a love story that extends into the marriage afterward.
Genre: Historical Romance, Medieval England, 1198
Plot Overview:
Lady Jocelyn Ashburne suspects something is amiss at her family’s castle because her father ceases to write to her. When she overhears a plot to force her into vows—either to the church or a husband—she disguises herself and flees the convent in desperation to discover the truth.
Malcolm Castillon of Berkham is determined to win the next tournament and be granted a manor of his own. After years of proving his worth on the jousting field, he yearns for a life of peace. Rescuing a scrawny lad who turns out to be a beautiful woman is not what he bargained for. Still, he cannot deny that she stirs his heart like no other, in spite of her conniving ways.Chaos, deception, and treachery threaten their goals, but both are determined to succeed. Learning to trust each other might be the only way either of them survives.
Purchase Links:
Giveaway
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Recommendations for November:
- Refuge for the Archaeologist by Danielle Grandinetti
- A Time to Weep by Tracy Higley
- The Curator’s Daughter by Melanie Dobson
- Echoes Among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright
- Among Sand and Sunrise by Stacy Henrie
- The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green
- The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse
- Where We Belong by Lynn Austin
I read For Love and Honor by Jody Hedlund. I enjoyed it! Always love her books.
Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren. I was pleasantly surprised Definitely want to read the next 2 in series.
I am behind with the reading challenge…. I read In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer in September. I did not get to read anything in October, as my mom passed away. My plan was to re-read As High as the Heavens and the three books in the These Highland Hills series, all by Kathleen Morgan (they are all really good!)
I am not a huge fan of the Medieval time period, so I don’t have many that are set in that time period, but I found one, For a Song by Kathleen Scarth, and I enjoyed it. It was set in Medieval Germany.
I read Always by Jody Hedlund. It was good! I plan to read the rest of the series.
I read Kingdom of Beauty by Deborah Grace White. It was a unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I loved it!
I read “The Captive Maiden” by, Melanie Dickerson. I’ve had it on my bookshelf for years waiting for me to read it, though I don’t know why I waited so long, it was good!
I read Here be Dragons. So so good; it grabbed me and pulled me into old Welsh and English kingdoms.
I see someone read Waterfall by Lisa Bergren-another good series I’ve liked so much!!
I read The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson. Sadly I did not enjoy this book near as much as the first two in this series. With being a Snow White retelling, I was really hoping to like it more than I did.
I read The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson. It’s a pied piper retelling, 10/10 recommed!