Perfect as always from Elizabeth Chadwick! I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The author is brilliant at bringing the medieval world to live and her characters are so dimensional and personal. Another wonderful story from this great author.

I have enjoyed novels by Elizabeth Chadwick in the past and so was looking forward to getting my hands on this story. I found this to be an enjoyable read, with plenty of political/royal intrigue and manipulations. (and boy, was poor Jeanette manipulated!) Hers was a tale of forbidden love and pining after her knight sweetheart.

There has obviously been a lot of research put into this novel (as with other Chadwick books) and I would recommend it. (both for the research and for the level of writing on display.)

Please be aware that there is a scene featuring an abortion (which was performed against Jeanette's will.) If you find scenes like this upsetting, it might be worth bearing that in mind that it's there.

I've enjoyed previous works by Elizabeth Chadwick, especially her trilogy about Eleanor of Aquitaine, so was pleased to receive a copy of her latest work about Joan of Kent. Joan, known for her beauty as the Fair Maid of Kent, had a fascinating life so there’s certainly plenty of her story to tell.

This novel focuses on her early and secret marriage to the knight, Sir Thomas Holland - the marriage needs to be secret as they do not have royal consent, knowing her rank means she will be used instead for a political match. Instead she is married off to the son of the Earl of Salisbury, a boy of her own age. Joan and Thomas are kept apart as he is sent to fight overseas for the King but he manages to gain riches through war and petition the Pope to have their marriage recognised and her second marriage annulled.

The Royal Rebel concentrates on the story very much as a straight romance. Obviously, since this all dates from the 14th century, we can never be sure exactly what happened but the history around the main facts is well researched and there is a good sense of the period throughout the book. The author chooses not to concentrate too much on their age gap at the time of marriage, when Joan was around 12 or 13 years old and Thomas 26, and that’s a reasonable choice since it wouldn’t have been too unusual for the times but looks odd to us now. It’s a fast moving and entertaining read and I’m very glad to see there will be another book to continue Joan’s story.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review. As requested, I will publish the above review to Goodreads two weeks before the publication date and on Amazon and Waterstones on publication day.

The Royal Rebel by Elizabeth Chadwick
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

The Royal Rebel is based on the historical figure, Joan of Kent who was cousin to King Edward III. Referred to throughout the books as Jeanette, it is certainly a story of adversity as Elizabeth Chadwick writes about the forbidden romance between the feisty Jeanette and Thomas Holland, a younger son who is a knight to the royal family. There’s heartbreak but this is mainly a story of hope. History is really brought to life by the author, and Chadwick never fails to add in the story well researched little details that conjure up the medieval period as if you were there yourself, this is no exception.

I love Chadwick, I’d go so far as to say that she is amongst my favourite authors and I’ve read most of her back catalogue. This book has a different feel to it, I’m not sure I can pinpoint what exactly, but perhaps it’s because there’s a long period of time that is of Jeanette waiting, and I truly do admire her for remaining true to her love of Thomas during it but it makes for a chunk of the book where we’re also waiting.

I doubt this is going to be a standalone, although it does wrap up nicely so you can stop here, I’m just aware that it’s not the end of Jeanette’s story and I am really looking forward to what comes next.

Another brilliant book by Elizabeth Chadwick. This one centres around Jeanette who is treated as a pawn in some powerful alliances. It is well written and you can feel yourself immersed in the time and the dangers that surround members of the household close to the throne.

I've wanted to try one Elizabeth Chadwick for ages, and I've had a bit of an achy fluey thing going on this week so I thought The Royal Rebel would be the perfect read! I was v into medieval royal stuff as a teenager (and still am) –this one is about Joan of Kent, a 14th century English princess. I would defos read another of her books but this wasn't a fave – the historical research and atmosphere was really well-done but the plot was a bit one-note. Hoping a sequel expands on Joan's story more! 3.5 stars

As someone who has delved into many of Elizabeth Chadwick's works, I found "The Royal Rebel" to be an enjoyable read, although not my favorite among her novels. Despite this, the exploration of forbidden love amidst royal intrigue still captivated me, showcasing Chadwick's skill at crafting engaging historical narratives.

following the story of janette and thomas and their love story. one is royal who is never good enough for her mother and the other is a knight.
two opposite worlds but sparks fly ….

i really appreciated the character list at the start of the book! it felt very shakespearian.

the relationship between janette and thomas hooks you instantly, the chemistry ignites the pages, making you flip through them with ease.

they are two very well written characters making it easy to fall in love with them both as individuals and together. they are both written so realistically, you cannot help but get emotionally attached to them.

overall, this is a story of two forbidden love birds trying to find a way back to each other. it’s very powerful and emotional to read at times.