A Falcon's Heart

by Jayel Wylie

Book Overview

William of Brinlaw's demands that Henry II restore his birthright fall on deaf ears -- until the mysterious death of Brinlaw's current lord. Eager to maintain his hard-won peace, the new king deeds the estate to William, provided he marries his enemy's daughter. Bearing a false proclamation that their union was her father's last wish, William journeys home, where he is unexpectedly bewitched by his bride. Lady Alista stuns him with her trust and burns...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1501109960
• ISBN13: 9781501109966
• Release Date: December 2014
• Publisher: Gallery Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 4.9" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating book!

A solid, old-fashioned medieval romance! Loved it and wish I could find more like it. I look forward to Ms. Wylie's next book. If you liked this book, I'd also suggest Diana Gabaldon and Elizabeth Chadwick.

"Faery Tale"

I was so captivated by this book that I read it quickly and although I just could not wait to get into the story I was saddened when it came to end. I really enjoyed the author's writing of this story. I am a big medieval fan and find myself reading mostly romance novels set in the 10th-13th centuries. I believe this may have been the first novel by Jayel Wylie and if so I feel she did a wonderful job in the telling of this romantic tale. I fell in love right along side Will and Alista. I hope that Jayel will write more in the future as I would certainly read another book by her. I loved it and recommend it to anyone who likes to read about that time period.

Real history, delicious romance

What a wonderful find! This is the kind of book to lose yourself in for days, and considering that it's the author's first book, it's phenomenal! Alista grew up at the estate Brinlaw, which was awarded to her father after he lost his original estate in the war against the usurping Queen Maud. But with her father gone, King Henry II sees a chance to reward his loyal follower, William of Brinlaw, by returning his estate to him. The catch is, he must marry Alista. While the arranged marriage is a tried and true theme, what I liked here is that the emotional trauma is handled realistically. They are strangers to each other, and that changes only slowly over time. They both have been through tremendous amounts of pain, and that heals only slowly. But when it does, it's worth the wait!The historical elements are also handled with realism. What I particularly liked was the inclusion of spiritual and political circumstances of the time. Too many medievals seem to take place in a never-never land beyond the reach of king or church. I also enjoyed the paranormal aspect but I was glad that it was a relatively small part of the story; much more would have been distracting.I can't wait for another one by this author!

If you like Roberta Gellis....

I am very glad I "accidently" came across this book while glancing through the romance bookshelves. The one characterisitc that drew me was that it was truly a historical novel in the same vein as those wonderful Roberta Gellis novels of early England. So often historical romance loses the history or just glazes over it rather than using it in the actual plot. It is a rare writer who can create a seemless storyline where the history and romance is in perfect balance. The "fairie" part of the storyline was a minor distraction for me and I am not a fan of mixing paranormal aspects with real history. Fortuanately, the book was so good that it did not detract from my overall enjoyment. I look forward to more books from this author.

A great debut

In 1154 England, Lord Mark informs his beloved daughter Alista that he must attend Henry's coronation to insure the monarch does not give away their castle to William Brinlaw, son of a traitor. In front of Henry, Mark and Will argue with the latter stating that the former will have to kill him to regain Brinlaw Castle. That night, Mark dies. Henry informs Will that he will regain Brinlaw only if he marries Alista. Will leaves immediately for Brinlaw where he bluntly informs Alista that her beloved father is dead and that the King wants them married. She refuses until she considers the safety of her people. They marry even though neither trusts the other. When Will is accused of killing Mark, he goes to London to stand trial. Meanwhile, Alista returns to her matriarchal home, the ruined Falconskeep. She feels the need to follow her Faerie heritage of her mother by flying away as a falcon. Only Will's love might keep her on this plane if he can prove his feelings are real. A FALCON'S HEART is an exciting medieval romance with paranormal elements though the Faerie segments seem more of an add-on that is not explained to the reader. The story line is fast-paced and Jayel Wylie delivers a feel for King Henry's early years as ruler. The lead characters are a charming pair with a history that makes them unlikely partners while the support cast propels the plot forward so that the audience never rests. Ms. Wylie has written a effective historical romance that sub-genre fans will appreciate.Harriet Klausner