The Medieval Heroine History Tried to Forget - an Editorial Review of "Lady of Lincoln"

Book Blurb:

A true story. A forgotten heroine. In a time when women were told to stay silent, could she become the saviour her people need?

12th-century England. Nicola de la Haye wants to do her duty. But though she’s taught a female cannot lead alone, the young noblewoman bristles at the marriage her father has arranged to secure her inheritance. And when an unexpected death leaves her unguided, the impetuous girl shuns the king’s blessing and weds a handsome-but-landless knight.

Harshly fined by Henry II for her unsanctioned union, Nicola struggles to salvage her estates while dealing with devastating betrayals from her husband… and his choice to join rebels in a brewing civil war. Yet after averting a tragedy and gaining the castle garrison’s respect, she still must face the might of powerful men determined to crush her under their will.

Can she survive love, threats, and violent ambition to prove she’s worthy of authority?

In this carefully researched and vividly human series debut, Rachel Elwiss Joyce showcases the complex themes of honour, responsibility, and freedom in the story of a remarkable heroine who men tried to erase from history. And as readers dive into a world defined by violence and turmoil, they’ll be stunned by this courageous young woman’s journey toward greatness.

Lady of Lincoln is the gritty first book in the Nicola de la Haye Series historical fiction saga. If you like richly textured female heroes, courtly drama, and fast-paced intrigue, then you’ll adore Rachel Elwiss Joyce’s gripping true-life tale.

Buy Lady of Lincoln to celebrate ‘the woman who saved England’ today!

Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/kY5Yi1

Author Bio:

After a rewarding career in the sciences, Rachel returned to her first love—history and the art of storytelling. Fascinated by the women history neglected, or tried to forget, she creates meticulously researched, emotionally resonant fiction that brings her characters’ stories vividly to life.

Her fascination with the past began early. At six years old, she was already inventing tales about medieval women in castles, inspired by her treasured Ladybird books and other picture-rich stories that transported her to another time. By the time she discovered Katherine by Anya Seton as a teenager, she knew the joy and escape that only great historical fiction can bring.

Rachel’s two grown-up children still tease her (fondly) about childhoods spent being “dragged” around castles, archaeological sites, and historical re-enactments. For Rachel, history and imagination have always gone hand in hand.

There was, however, a long gap between the stories of her childhood and her decision to write her own novel. The spark came when she discovered the remarkable true story of Nicola de la Haye—the first female sheriff of England, who defended Lincoln Castle against a French invasion and became known as “the woman who saved England.” Rachel knew she had found her heroine, and a story she was destined to tell.

Rachel lives in the UK, where she continues to explore the lives of women who shaped history but were left out of its pages.

Lady of Lincoln is her debut novel, the first book in her Nicola de la Haye Series, with sequels to follow.

Editorial Review:

Title: Lady of Lincoln

Author: Rachael Elwiss Joyce 

Rating: 5.0

“Lady of Lincoln” by Rachel Elwiss Joyce is a fictional historical novel that follows Nicolaa de la Haye, a historical figure who was the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle in the 12th century after her father, Richard de la Haye and her grandmother, Lady Matilda de Caux . This story captures her known life details to imagine and create a compelling personal history, for a heroine who defied odds to become a trailblazer in a time when women were rarely recorded in historical chronicles.  

“The world blurred into a wild smear of green grass and castle walls. The wind roared, sharp and alive, tugging her braids and stinging her cheeks. Her heart pounded in time with the thundering hooves, each beat a drumroll of pure, reckless joy as her mare surged beneath her, powerful and wild, mane whipping back like a banner. Nicola leaned low, her body one with her mare as the two riders and the two 

Horses thundered across the earth. She’d never felt so alive. She laughed, a wild, unladylike sound bursting from 

Her chest. If a knight’s life was like this—full of boundless, reckless freedom—why had God made her a weak woman, confining her to a world of endless, boring duties?” 

Here, Nicolaa is depicted not as a noble woman but as a creature of passion, speed and power and with an innate skill as a rider who has a deep, instinctual connection with animals. One gets the feeling that she has refused to be suppressed by her societal role, and that she is her best self when breaking the conventions of her gender. This passage serves as a fundamental moment that is mirrored by its frantic and exhilarating pacing. The narrative here is in the third person perspective, which firmly anchors the protagonist’s experience, which the reader is able to see, hear and feel through her senses. 

“Nicola twisted a braid around her finger. It wasn’t fair. Everyone seemed to be happy in their marriages. Bella, her sister—even though Julia’s marriage had been arranged by Papa. And now Papa wanted her wed to Gerard de Camville. A chill rippled down her spine. He was kind enough—but old. Almost thirty, and grey-haired. Her mind filled with the image of Fitz—the dazzling knight from Julia’s wedding feast. When he’d touched her hand, her skin had blazed. “I want to choose my husband,” she whispered. “I want a man who’s strong enough to protect my inheritance, but also one who sets my blood alight—like Berechiah does for you.”

Here, the passage starts with short, simple and fragmented sentences that mirror a childlike, petulant thought process (It wasn’t fair,) driven by injustice and frustration. This is just before the sentences lengthen and become more complex, mirroring the thoughts of the protagonist as they deepen into loud comparison and a yearning that won’t go away. This is a moment that defines or frames the next part of the plot. The reader can clearly sense danger here, as she defies her father, clouded by youthful impulsiveness, in what feels like seeking to fulfil her societal expectations but entirely on her own terms. 

“Everything seemed to stop inside her. He wasn’t breathing. Papa was gone. “No!” Nicola cried. She collapsed onto his chest, sobbing, and clutched his shirt. “You can’t leave me, Papa! I love you! I need you! I… I’m not ready!” After some time, her tears finally spent, she mustered some self-control. She sat on the bed for what felt like an eternity, holding his lifeless hand, staring through the open shutters at the Haye red sun flag hanging limp atop the gatehouse. Outside, horses neighed. Someone laughed. Something scurried across the thatched roof above. The castle buzzed with life. But Papa was dead, and Nicola was utterly alone.”

This passage uses short sentences that mimic short but forceful hammer blows. They fill the moment with raw, unfiltered emotion in one of the protagonist's most vulnerable moments in the novel. It is a moment of no return and the point at which the cage she feared in Chapter 1, manifests. Her future is no longer something she can delay or negotiate. The reader also understands the immense weight of the moment where her vow of loyalty will be soon tested. It is a moment of tremendous tension that foreshadows the internal conflict between her promise to her father and her own desperate attempt to survive. 

“Lady of Lincoln” by Rachel Elwiss Joyce is an extraordinary book that shows a woman successfully overcome the constraints of her time, not with a sword in battle but with wits, will and an unbreakable spirit. Fans of immersive historical fiction as well as readers who enjoy character-driven dramas with romantic entanglements will be highly engaged. Additionally, readers who have an appetite for history beyond the well-trodden stories of kings and queens in medieval history will not want to miss it.

Award:

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