Review: Her Castilian Heart by Anna Belfrage

Blood is not always thicker than water…

At times a common bloodline is something of a curse—or so Robert FitzStephan discovers when he realises his half-brother, Eustace de Lamont, wants to kill him.

A murderous and greedy brother isn’t Robert’s only challenge. He and his wife, Noor, also have to handle their infected relationship with a mightily displeased Queen Eleanor—all because of their mysterious little foundling whom they refuse to abandon or allow the queen to lock away.

Eustace is persistent. When Robert’s life hangs in the balance, it falls to Noor to do whatever it takes to rip them free from the toothy jaws of fate. Noor may be a woman, but weak she is not, and in her chest beats a heart as brave and ferocious as that of a lioness. But will her courage be enough to see them safe?

My Review

In this volume, we are back in England again. Robert is at the beck and call of King Edward, and Noor is frequently called upon to wait on the ailing Queen Eleanor. The queen is very suspicious of the Welsh waif Lionel, who Noor is trying to masquerade as a Spanish orphan. Eleanor is having none of it, and keeps threatening to take the child away, for his very existence is a threat to her only surviving son, the future Edward II. And to make matters worse, Robert’s half-brother, the nasty and dangerous Eustace, is determined to murder the whole family, though he is particularly attracted to Noor:

“You’d have been better off wed to someone like me,” he said.
“Like you?” She shrugged free. “I’d rather wed a toad!”
He had hold of her again. “One day, you may have cause to regret those words.”
“Let go of me,” she spat back, twisting in his hold. If anything, her struggles had him tightening his hold, fingers sinking painfully into her arms.
“What would you do, I wonder, if I were to shove you back against the wall,” he proceeded to do just that, pinning her in place with his body, “and take you?” he finished.
“Scream,” she replied. “And geld you.”

These mortal enemies keep crossing each other’s path—sometimes by accident, sometimes with deadly intent. The results are never benign. Although Eustace is destined to become a baron—hence, practically untouchable—Robert is the superior warrior and the king’s favorite. Or maybe not. Edward is frustratingly changeable. But his one reliable trait is his love for the queen, and Eleanor’s days are numbered. We have a fine balancing act between emotions, duty, and honor—at least with our protagonists. Brother Eustace is definitely the one to watch out for.

Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3AIBfks

Meet Anna Belfrage

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England.

Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients.

Her Castilian Heart is the third in her “Castilian” series, a stand-alone sequel to her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk. Set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales, His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second instalment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain. This latest release finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain!

Anna has also authored The Whirlpools of Time in which she returns to the world of time travel. Join Duncan and the somewhat reluctant time-traveller Erin on their adventures through the Scottish Highlands just as the first Jacobite rebellion is about to explode!

All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.