The Lioness of Exeter

The Four Knights, Volume 1

By: Mr. Kenneth V. Bloom

Narrated by: Shannon Butler

Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

She's afraid of the dark. So what is she doing out in the wilderness on a cold, cloudy night?

She flees home to avoid certain death at the hands of the old man from the North. There is a refuge, Sir Thomas d'Ecouis, but only if he will marry her before she is caught by her pursuers. So begins the journey that takes her across England and takes her from a sheltered 16-year-old girl to a woman of 17 years, one far wiser than most.

The Lioness of Exeter is a historical romance set in 1071 in medieval England. A charismatic Saxon, Hereward the Wake, fomented rebellion in the fenlands of East Anglia. Three Norman knights, Thomas, Geoffrey, and Robert, are commissioned by King William to join forces and defeat Hereward. The king releases the knights so they can return to their castles after the rebellion is crushed.

She can't marry the old man from the north. But what can she possibly do to escape the betrothal, defy her father, and survive? Two naive girls execute a bold plan without understanding the ramifications. She finds herself alone and afraid walking through the dark of night in the unforgiving fens.

Who have they found? He claims to be a poor boy from Norwich running from home to escape being sold into slavery. Aye, but the boy looks much more like a comely girl. Thomas is compelled to discover the truth. So begins their trek from the Eastern side of England to Thomas's castle near Exeter in the far southwest.

Life outside the shelter of her father's manor is fraught with tests of character and will, dangers to be confronted, survival to be assured, and love and happiness to be discovered.

It is unwise to prod a lioness. She is quick and armed to defend. There is strength of will and indefatigable spirit.

©2016 Kenneth V. Bloom (P)2018 Kenneth V. Bloom

A strong main character who happens to be a woman

This book has a good narrator who did a nice job in her reading of the story. The plot kept my interest from beginning to end, with a few twists in-between. The main character is a timid, young girl who grows into a strong, self-assured young woman. She runs away from home and is found by a traveling group of the king’s soldiers led by three knights. She hides the fact that she is a girl by dressing and trying to act like a young boy. This leads to interesting and humorous situations during their travels on the road together. Since this book is a romance, she falls in love with one of the knights. Meanwhile, her father has sent her cousin to look for her and return her home. There is some action and drama as she grows in maturity and learns to fight to protect herself from those who wish to do her harm. Plus, there is also a nice religious element in part of the the story.

All the main characters are well developed and I came to understand and relate to each of them. Their interactions are explored well and are relatable. The book gives you a feeling of what life was like for a woman in medieval times. This stand-alone story is interesting and believable and features a strong woman at its center. I really enjoyed listening to this and I recommend it to those who like dialog-driven humorous, romantic, action stories. I can’t wait until the next book in the Four Knights Series is available on Audible.