Married to a perfect stranger… Reunited with her warrior husband When Constance inherited her father’s lands, she had no choice but to marry cold-hearted Matthew Wintour. He left her for the battlefield, without even a wedding night. Five years later, Matthew has returned a valiant knight! But Constance is no longer a frightened girl. And, this time, she must reach out to discover the … discover the honorable man behind the armor and what pleasures await them in the marriage bed…
“Utterly captivating! An exquisite, beautifully written story of heart-felt love that will leave the reader with enchanted and yet again proves what an exceptional writer Ms Fletcher is and worth her weight in gold!”
— Chicks, Rogues and Scandals on The Viscount’s Veiled Lady
“A sweet feel-good historical romance that I am happy to recommend”
— Roses Are Blue on The Viscount’s Veiled Lady
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Constance is finally being reunited with her groom, Sir Matthew Wintour. They married five years ago when she was only 14 and shortly after her parents died. They exchanged vows and he then left to join the king, leaving her with her uncle without any explanation and she hasn’t heard from him since.
Matthew has returned and is using the excuse of claiming his bride as his reason for being back in England, but is looking for men willing to support the barons in forcing King John to agree to limiting his power, but in reality Matthew really has no desire to be married and only did so to escape his father and the heartache he caused Matthew.
When Constance finally meets her husband, he offers her an annulment – as an heiress, she is stunned that he would be willing to give up her holdings, but is very grateful for the offer. However, after considering her options, she decides that Matthew is the lesser evil and they come to an agreement. She longs to return to her childhood home, Lacelby and he agrees to take her, but first they must stop and visit his father at Wintercott.
At Wintercott, many secrets are revealed and old hurts are dredged up, but it also gives Matthew and Constance time to get to know one another and begin to form a bond. They finally leave and return to her holdings, but when Matthew is called to London, his father just can’t seem to stop trying to hurt Matthew and his interference may tear them apart – forever.
This was a well written, interesting story with a little intrigue, a little steam, a lot of emotion and a very nasty villain. I enjoyed the book and would happily recommend it.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by the publisher.*
Ooh, I knew had to read this because I don’t think I’ve read a Medieval Romance before. I am SO glad I did. Reclaimed By Her Rebel Knight is fascinating. I love the research that was clearly done by Jenni Fletcher to make this is true to that time period as possible. The customs, standards and lifestyles of the era were brilliantly portrayed and it made this novel even more enticing.
I was immediately drawn into the story from the first page. I’ll admit, it started a bit slow for me, but I was still fascinated with the authenticity. I loved the bits with Constance and her cousins. The differences in the way Constance viewed herself and her marriage was in such stark contrast, it made things interesting very quickly.
I absolutely love Constance and Matthew. Jenni Fletcher knew how to write two characters who, while not perfect, were clearly meant for each other. The romance is realistic, and that validates the entire novel as fantastically written. I love character driven novels, and this was clearly driven by Constance and Matthew.
I wasn’t sure what to expect because this is a genre I’ve never read before. I am a huge fan of Jenni Fletcher and of this genre now. I highly recommend checking Reclaimed By Her Rebel Knight out!
*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
What a wonderful historical romance!
The historical setting was excellently built into this story; or perhaps the story was excellently built into the historical setting. Either way, the drama of the historical events in this romance added a layer of tension to this romance that enhanced the story wonderfully. Constance, the heroine, had insecurities and fire typical of a young heroine, and it was great to see how she worked through who she thought she was to become the fierce heroine she ends up being. Matthew, the hero, is my new book boyfriend. Though slightly idiotic at times (so, basically an accurate portrayal of how men can be 😉 ), he redeems himself wonderfully and shows care and love to the heroine in a way that melted my heart. If you like historical romances with edge and swoonworthy (and hot!) moments, this is for you.
CW: domestic abuse.
August ’19 Favorite
This may be only my second book from the author, but Jenni Fletcher is already one of my favorites HR authors! I haven’t read many HR romances, but the author has already managed to capture my attention and made her books a must-read for me!!
I don’t know much regarding the history of England, only the basics, so I can’t really judge if the book was historically accurate. With that being said, I really liked the whole plot and the backstory. This one was different from the other one I’ve read, so a story featuring a King, Knights and the rebels was something new.
Our main characters, Matthew and Constance, have an amazing development throughout the book. To be honest, I didn’t really like Matthew at first since he came out as a brute and was constantly scowling! Constance is the female character I love to read; she’s fierce, independent and knows how to stand up for herself! She’s pissed off with Matthew and isn’t afraid of showing it to him. Matthew realizes soon that he has to deal with a spitfire and acts accordingly.
I left the book unread until this morning, because I wanted to read it and write my review right away, when it is still fresh in my mind. Needless to say that I started the book this morning (now is 6pm here) and skipped both breakfast and lunch, because I was so engrossed in it!
I can’t express properly how much I loved the book! I was right there with the characters through everything they experienced. I laughed with them, I felt Constance’s anxiety and fear for Matthew, I was definitely creeped out with his father’s actions and felt sorry for all those women he hurt.
If you are a lover of Historical Romance, then I strongly urge you to give it a try and if you are not a lover already, then Jenni Fletcher might be the author for you to start!!
England under King John’s reign was a very dangerous place to be an orphaned heiress. Married off aged 14 to a stranger, Constance was grateful when her husband immediately departed for France to fight John’s battles for territory there. Now five years later, Matthew Wintour is back, and has come to claim his bride from the home of her uncle, where’s she’s been living with her cousins while she waits.
Five years has given Constance time to not only grow up, but to get plenty mad about the high-handed way her husband ordered her out of her own home like so much chattel. He makes a pretty bad first impression, but she’s predisposed to take offence, and soon realises maybe he’s not so bad. When Matthew takes her to the imposing WIntercott Castle and she meets his overbearing, tyrannical father, she soon realises that maybe her husband had good reason for his choices. Matthew’s still keeping secrets, though, dangerous ones in the time of a vengeful king, and Constance may come to regret giving him her heart.
Jenni Fletcher really knows her stuff about this time period, and the story is interwoven with just enough historical facts to make it plausible. Both Constance and Matthew have to face unpalatable choices and make the best of them, and they’re lucky enough to find love together despite it all.
If you like Middle Ages romance, particularly set against the background of conflict that marked John Lackland’s reign, this is definitely one you’ll enjoy. Five stars for a great read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review via Rachel’s Random Resources.
Reclaimed by Her Rebel Knight is author Jenni Fletcher’s latest book set in England in 1214. I always get excited when Ms. Fletcher has a new book coming out! Whether it’s a Medieval, Regency, Victorian, or Roman story, Ms. Fletcher knows her time period’s well. She always does extensive research, and the reader always comes away richer in knowledge, along with the satisfaction of reading a fantastic romance story. Her books are a joy to read and this one was no exception!
Lady Constance Lacelby was only fourteen when she was forced to wed Matthew Wintour the eldest son of a neighboring baron, shortly after both her parents died. Although they’ve been married for five years, she has only met him once on their wedding day. She’s not even sure she remembers what he looks like…
Sir Matthew Wintour hasn’t been in England in 5 years. He’s been in Normandy fighting for the King. Like Constance, he was forced into this marriage and knows nothing at all about being a husband. He’d rather face a dozen French soldiers single-handed…
What a great couple! I absolutely loved their first meeting together after being separated for 5 years. They are strangers trying to get to know each other with lots of misunderstandings between them. Constance is a young, intelligent woman with a spark about her, who is self-conscious of her looks. Matthew has other concerns than to deal with a wife he has no idea how to talk to. But he’s an honorable man and feels a responsibility towards Constance. Both decide that they want to make their marriage work and they set off on their life together by traveling to Lacelby, Constance’s home. On the journey to Lacelby, they first make a stop at Wintercott, Matthew’s father’s home. As Matthew faces his family and ghosts of the past, Constance and he grow closer.
This was such a well written and perfectly paced story! Ms. Fletcher did a fabulous job of giving this couple time to get to know each other and to let their relationship grow. There were also wonderful secondary characters such as Alan and Adelaide that I wouldn’t mind revisiting at a later date. With the political drama of the time in the background, this was a perfect story of intrigue, suspense, and romance! I’ll admit from the moment I picked up this book, I struggled to put it down. It’s actually a common occurrence when reading a Jenni Fletcher book! 😉 I absolutely loved the ending and I always enjoy reading Ms. Fletcher’s historical notes. As I mentioned earlier in my review, Ms. Fletcher does extensive research and it always shows in how well the story is written. You don’t just read it, you feel it, you see it as if you were there. I highly recommend this book and author, you won’t be disappointed!
My, oh, my!!! Jenni Fletcher you have out done yourself, this is how you write a Medieval love story; captivating, evocative, thrilling, enchanting, it’s a feast for the senses and has one of the best endings ever! Another shining gold star to be attached to Jenni Fletchers cap, this is sensational! By far one of the best Medieval romances I have read – and I have read a fair few – but this is as perfect as you can get in a Medieval romance;
When Constance is orphaned at the tender age of fourteen, if she was to keep her property and her fortune out of the King’s hands she must marry. She ends up married to Matthew, who just after their wedding leaves England for Normandy to do his duty and serves the King, or as my gran used to say; ‘he went off to find a war’ while Constance must leave her home; Lacelby and live with her uncle until her husbands return – whenever that maybe!
The story and their marriage really start five years later, in 1214, Matthew returns Constance can’t say she is happy or sad about that as she doesn’t know the man that she is to spend the rest of her life with, neither got to know each other in those few moments together, they were just children, she can’t even remember what he looks like. Neither of them wanted this marriage, but it was a necessity to save her from the ruthlessness of the King. Even though she doesn’t know the man she must share a bed with, she is determined that she will try and be a good wife and make this unwanted marriage work for them both.
I instantly felt a connection with Constance, she is a wonderful character, she is a strong and resilient young woman, who takes everything in her stride, never one to complain and she has a quietly soothing side to her that can ease the brooding of beasts, she is always rational but as you will soon see she possess a lioness heart of courage when the time comes. She was forced to leave the only home she has ever known, become married to a man she doesn’t know and then left again before the wedding night. Any other woman would become a wailing shrew, but not our Constance. She is uncertain of how to act around Matthew, she is worried about their marriage, yes she is more then equipped to run a household, but she knows nothing about men, especially not one as large, brooding and distant as her husband.
Matthew, oh Matthew!! Be still my overly beating heart, honestly I need sedating, he is just….#DoubleSigh!! I don’t have the words for just how amazing this man is, I need my swooning gif…..
Anyway, he may be the finest, most loyal and trust worthy hero I have come across in a long time. For once we have a hero that isn’t complex, his emotions and his responsibilities are in utter turmoil, but he knows what he wants, he wants the best for everyone and he strives to bring peace and clarity. Is there anything more heroic then that? He is genuinely a good man, who has an awful lot weighing on his ridiculously broad shoulders, not only having to deal with the political mess, having to protect those he cares about from any repercussions from what is about to happen and most importantly he wants to make amends and do what is right by Constance…phew, I’m tired just thinking about it all. Do you see how vague, I’m being? Very good reason there is a major plot entwined within this glorious love story, one that I refuse to give away.
What I love about Constance and Matthew more then anything is that they are very relatable and very realistic couple, they are flawed especially after they were pushed together in a marriage of convenience, yet they work, they face a turbulent journey to their HEA but they work through their issues, they do what so few couple is romances do, and they actually talk. Yes there is a spark when they meet, they are both drawn the other because they have both changed so much, they were just kids when they married and now they are in their prime – or how Matthews says to Constance when he first see’s her “You’ve…grown” he says while looking at her bosom. I love that, it’s awkward and funny.
But don’t just think that this is run of the mills love story, oh no! There is a serious and deadly sub plot that will have you perched at the edge of your seat, going “Oooh, eek, wow!” if your a nail biter, you may not have any nails left by the last page.
This book is a testament to just how bloody amazing Jenni Fletcher’s writing is, she has a gift for storytelling, she flawlessly entwines a beautiful and enchanting love story with passionate historic detail, you become immersed in their world. Her passion for era come through her writing with such clarity, you are transported to the Medieval era through the strong and accurate details, and you fall in love with her beautiful and realistic dialogue, this is stunningly perfect!
Oh, and before I forget, do read the historical notes at the front and the back, they are so enlightening
Lady Constance Lacelby was orphaned at fourteen, and to be able to keep her fortune and her property, she had to marry. The wedding to a man she had never met before was carried out swiftly, and her husband, Matthew Wintour, promptly left for Normandy to serve his King, and Constance was sent to her uncle’s. They had barely looked at each other, and when Matthew comes back five years later, Constance can’t quite remember what he looks like, apart from the frown that never seems to leave his countenance. He can only recall the fear he had seen in her eyes. Neither had wanted this marriage, but they were willing to give it a chance.
RECLAIMED BY HER REBEL KNIGHT is probably the best medieval romance I have ever read. I was drawn in from the very first page, and it only got better from there. Jenni Fletcher’s writing is graceful and evocative, yet unobtrusive so that her characters breathe and live their story. I was swept away to England in 1214. The author knows the era, she understands and respects the customs, even the standards of beauty, that prevailed. It is an era of turmoil for England, and I loved how the political intrigue acted as a backdrop for the romance.
Ms. Fletcher’s feel for history, for time and place, along with the addition of seemingly innocuous details, give a feeling of authenticity to the story. She conjures an atmosphere so vivid that I sensed the malaise that permeates the very walls of Wintercott, Matthew’s ancestral home. The gradual unveiling of all the skeletons in the metaphorical closets of Matthew’s family is riveting.
Constance and Matthew learn to navigate the treacherous waters of their relationship, they get to know each other and appreciate that they were lucky to have found a suitable partner, even though they’d had no say in the matter, at least at first. Matthew captured my heart – and Constance’s – with an unforgettable grand gesture. He is a magnificent hero and Constance is just as wonderful. They’re not perfect, and that makes them more appealing. Constance and Matthew have to make concessions, talk and listen; this is a very realistic romance, as absolutely nothing happens by magic. There are several secondary characters, and all are splendidly crafted, the good and the bad. I loved the pace and the tone: unhurried, subdued, yet fraught with tension and emotion. Constance possesses a strong personality, she behaves rationally at all times, but what an impression she made towards the end with her display of fortitude! It’s a tribute to Ms. Fletcher’s storytelling abilities that the political angle is intimately tied in with the romance, propels the story forward, and makes the romance even more exciting. I often get bored with politics, but it was definitely not the case with RECLAIMED BY HER REBEL KNIGHT. I was surprised and delighted with the nailbiting ending. Jenni Fletcher beautifully and convincingly captures the essence of the Middle Ages and true love in this fabulous novel. Also, make sure to read the author’s Historical Notes.